The Tema Regional Electricity Company Of Ghana has hinted that, until their modus operandi are safely assured and guaranteed, it cannot restore power to the Somanya residents in the Eastern Region.
The scuffle between the ECG and the Somanya dates back to 2014 and beyond over the excessive billing of energy charges as expressed by residents living in the Krobo land who say, over billing took a heinous swipe on their financial capabilities.
But responding to questions posed by Kwame Koranteng on Anɔpa Dawuro on Republic FM on why the stakeholders including the PURC and the ECG haven’t been able to resolve the issues surrounding the agitations between residents in Somanya, the Tema regional public relations officer, Madam Sakyiwaa Mensah disclosed that, a lot of engagement has been made to ensure that they reach a consensus.
According to the PRO, upon series of an extensive engagement with the all the stakeholders, most of the stakeholders agreed that the proposals being made were good enough until the Youth groups kicked against the proposals claiming that, the initial debt is being cancelled anytime they meet the stakeholders.
She stated that, until they (the residents) embarked on demonstration on 22nd November, there was a roadmap to initiate the process of addressing the challenge.
According to her, a pressure group calling itself “The United Krobo Foundation” issued a letter addressed to the ECG in which point five of the letter noted that the “The foundation, based on the above point stated that they no longer work with the ECG as an institution and any further attempt to overrun table, the ECG do so at their own risk”. She noted
According to her, the series attacks on ECG officials is a matter of life and death and hence they opt to protect the lives of its employees.
Madam Sakyiwaa Mensah’s comment comes days after the ECG identified that, some unscrupulous persons have tempered with the company’s properties in Somanya after power outages erupted in the area due to technical faults which she say, forced residents to temper with their lines in their own way, making them lose some of their power transmitting transformers.
Reacting on the need to have power restored back to the Somanya and its environs, Madam Sakyiwaa Mensah made it categorically clear that ECG, until they can confidently say their system is safe and sound and also ensure that the lives of its officials are safe, will and can not restore power to the residents.
“We are still working. Until we are sure assured that the system is safe, reliable, and good, we cannot supply power to Somanya. But we are still working sporadically to fix issues as soon as possible” she told KK.
According to the PRO, the assurance concerning their system, it’s embedded on the ECG but with the assurance of safe working environment in Somanya, the police and the traditional leaders and the politicians must come on board to ensure their safety.