By Erica Apeatua Addo
Tarkwa (W/R), April 20, GNA-The Western Regional branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has disconnected the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa from the national grid for failing to settle its debt to the tune of GHS 1.2 million.
Also,Johnson and Co mining Company in Tarkwa had their electricity disconnected for defaulting payment to the tune of GHS 1.2 million.
The move, according to the company, was to help retrieve all the unpaid bills from its customers throughout the country.
Mr Benjamin Quarcoo, the Western Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO), of ECG disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the exercise was a continuation of what they began on March 20, 2023.
He explained that before the exercise, the company gave its customers the opportunity to pay their debts by installments, but “We realised that because the company did not attach any specific amount to it, most of our clients paid less than 60 per cent of what they owed us”.
Mr Quarcoo said at the UMaT for instance the team had no choice than to disconnect them to make the necessary payment before they would be reconnected.
Even after April 20, 2023, scheduled to end the mass disconnection exercise, they would continue to ensure all monies owed the company by institutions and individuals were retrieved, the PRO added.
He pointed out that “We will be visiting all our customers in Tarkwa and those who owe us, we expect them to make payment to avoid disconnection”.
Mr Quarcoo encouraged their customers not to pile their debt but instead pay promptly to avoid any inconveniences that would halt their businesses.
Meanwhile information gathered by the GNA revealed that the ECG recently signed an agreement with the management of the UMaT to enable them pay off their debt in four installments from the month of April to July 2023.
Per the agreement, UMaT was supposed to make its first payment on April 30, 2023, but on Tuesday morning they were disconnected.
According to the University, they have not even defaulted on the agreement they made with ECG.
GNA