Security personnel are currently in the Krobo area in the Eastern Region of Ghana to gather intelligence ahead of plans by ECG to restore power supply to the area.
While the security officers will be gathering intelligence, some staff of ECG have also been deployed there to monitor power installations to ascertain their integrity.
The power distribution company, ECG, has cut the power supply to the area for about two weeks, plunging the area into darkness.
The action of ECG followed attacks on its staff who were installing prepayment meters and residents’ confrontation with military personnel who were helping to install the meters.
Residents of Manya and Yilo Krobo owe ECG unpaid electricity bills to the tune of Gh¢168 million for about five years.
The power distribution company has given them up to five years to settle their indebtedness, but the residents seem not to be in favour of the proposal.
Speaking on the development in the Krobo area, the Managing Director of ECG, Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, justified ECG’s decision to seek the assistance of personnel from the 48 Engineering Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.
“I didn’t have the requisite numbers. They are not just soldiers…the army has an engineering regiment that has electrical engineers. I picked them up and took them to the training school, with the blessing of the National Security, and then, deployed them there to do the exercise,” he told the Host of ‘Hard Truth’ on Joy News Channel.
“We have not had the best of relationships in Manya/Yilo Krobo, so my staff needed support from the National Security.
“All they keep saying is to pardon their debt, withdraw the soldiers and remove the prepaid meters. The prepaid meters are not negotiable. They should not, for a second, believe that the prepaid meters will be negotiated. The soldiers are also not going anywhere…my people need to be protected. They equally have families as anyone.
“We can’t keep giving them electricity if they are not ready to pay. They have not been paying since 2014. Electricity is a privilege and not a right. It’s only a right to enjoy electricity when we pay,” Mr. Mahama said.
The ECG boss added that “ECG is losing a lot of money because the residents refuse to pay bills.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com