Ghana’s parliament has directed the Ministers for Defence and Energy to ensure the immediate withdrawal of about 50 soldiers currently in the Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region, assisting staff of ECG to install pre-payment meters.
According to a media report, the Member of Parliament for the area, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, raised the matter on the floor of the house on Friday, June 24, 2022, indicating that the presence of the military men is heightening tensions in the community.
The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, subsequently, issued directives to the Ministers for Energy and Defence on the matter.
“We are also directing that the Minister for Defence withdraws the military attaché in the area for the time being for us to address certain matters, I so direct.”
The soldiers who are from the 49 Field Engineering Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) were deployed because previous attempts by ECG to introduce prepaid meters in the enclave caused a rift between residents and workers of ECG, with a case in the past in which ECG officials were physically assaulted.
But following a recent stakeholder consultation amongst interested parties aimed at finding an amicable solution, an agreement was arrived at to commence the process.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com