Somanya (E/R), Dec. 16, GNA – State security operatives are assessing the situation at Yilo and Manya Krobo to advise the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) towards reopening its Somanya District Office, which was closed recently to protect staff.
Mr Kwame Agyeman-Budu, Managing Director of ECG Tema Region, stated at a Press Conference at Somanya on Thursday that based on the security advice, the Somanya office would be opened for commercial operations.
He added that “the security situation will be reviewed periodically and when the experts assure us of the safety of our staff, we will mobilize and resume full operations from Somanya.”
Mr Agyeman-Budu affirmed that the Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo Chiefs, Presiding Members, as well as Members of Parliament for Yilo Krobo, Lower Manya Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo Constituencies, and other high ranking opinion leaders had appealed to ECG Management for the reopening of the office.
He said the ECG Management appreciated and acknowledged the intervention of these key stakeholders but until the total safety of the ECG staff was guaranteed, it would be difficult to convince them to return as they also have the right to life.
On the way forward after the restoration of the power supply, he said since Monday, December 13, 2021, a team had been tasked to visit the premises of all customers in the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo enclave to read all meters.
He said the meter reading would enable ECG to produce the current bills and also to generate relevant customer statements for the affected periods.
The ECG Managing Director said the team would also carry out a pre-installation survey to capture technical data in preparation for the introduction of prepaid meters to the area.
He said the ECG would also conduct a technical inspection to assure the integrity of the energy meters within the premises of customers, stressing that any illegality found would not be condoned but regularized in accordance with ECG’s policies.
The exercise, he said, would ensure quality power supply to customers and help to reduce commercial losses.
According to him, after the successful reading of the meters and customers would receive their current bills in January 2022 for prompt payment, indicating that attached to the bills would be their statements clearly showing all the necessary transactions.
Mr Agyeman-Budu indicated that ECG staff would be stationed at its offices at Somanya, Nuaso, Juapong and other vantage locations to assist customers with the value of their indebtedness and the flexible terms of payment.
“I wish to remind all Ghanaians that ECG is a national asset and the catalyst in our quest to industrialize. We are, therefore, obliged by law and our conscience to pay for the electricity that we consume,” he said.
He emphasized that ECG had no problem with the people of Krobo as they were only exercising their mandate of distributing electricity and collecting revenue for the services rendered, which directly sustained all the players in the power sector value chain.
He said ECG would continue the engagements to bring a lasting solution to the impasse.
He said the communication and stakeholder engagement teams would hit the ground running by writing letters to the various associations, traditional authorities, religious leaders, political and institutional heads and opinion leaders for further engagement.
GNA