The staff of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) in Tamale in the Northern Region of Ghana have begun a strike action to demand better protection after complaints of attacks on them by residents who are engaging in power theft.
A communiqué issued to management and copied to the press read: “Residents in the Metropolis are bent on preventing VRA/NEDCo staff from doing any revenue mobilization activities.
“We, the staff of VRA/NEDCo, resolve that our lives are under persistent threats and attacks hence it’s not safe for us to go out there and perform our legitimate work.”
The staff only plan to resume work if “the perpetrators of all these attacks or assaults are identified, arrested and made to face the full rigours of the law.”
They also want “military assistance and round the clock protection provided for our staff and offices.”
It would be recalled that in September 2021, NEDCo withdrew some services following similar attacks and the vandalisation of their Tamale Area Office by some youth, leading to some parts of Tamale being without power for days.
The staff resumed full services after several engagements and assurances from local government and traditional authorities.
Checks by energynewsafrica.com have revealed that the Management of VRA and NEDCo have been meeting with workers and authorities in the area to resolve the issue.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com