The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) says it has closed down its office in Somanya in the Manya Korbo District of the Eastern Region.
According to ECG, the shutting down of the office is as a result of threats on the lives of the staff of the company by youth group in Krobo.
The company has decided to transfer all its operational activities to Juapong henceforth.
A group calling itself the “United Krobo Foundation” last week embarked on a demonstration against the ECG and the Volta River Authority (VRA), calling for the cessation of the payment of electricity bills by the Krobos.
The Manya Krobo Traditional Council moved in and condemned the demonstration by the youth of Krobo, calling for the Electricity Company of Ghana to stop operations in the area.
A statement signed by Nene Sakite I, Konor of Manya Krobo and President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, said nobody had the right to proclaim any ban on a legally constituted public establishment in Ghana from operating in Krobo land.
It said the activities of the group was a threat to national security, adding that during the past four years the Manya Krobo Traditional Council engaged them and advised the leaders to stop their nefarious activities against the State but they clandestinely continued to operate, and incite the public.
“It was through one of such demonstrations that a few innocent people lost their lives through their encounter with the police in 2019, in Somanya and Odumase, yet they could not relent,” it stated.
The Council, therefore, appealed to the National Security apparatus to investigate the circumstances, leading to the activities of the group, and its leadership as well as their motives.
The Council described as false the assertion from the leadership of the youth group that the chiefs of Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo purportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Ghana for Krobos to start enjoying free electricity, 50 years after the construction of the Akosombo Dam.
However, Monday December 6, 2021, Ing. Emmanuel Akinie, Tema Regional Manager of ECG, addressing a press conference in Tema which has oversight responsibility of the Krobo areas said that on Monday, November 22, 2021, the united Krobo Foundation organized a mass demonstration against the operations of the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipalities.
He noted that preliminary investigations revealed that before, during and after the demonstration various written and verbal threats were issued against the Staff of Krobo district and indeed, against ECG as a whole.
“Given the overt and covert threats on the precious lives of ECG Staff and taking cognizance of the extensive engagements ECG has had with the Religious, Traditional, Political and Youth Leadership over the past five years, it has become impossible for ECG to freely perform its electricity distribution mandate in parts of the Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipal areas.
“ECG therefore, closed its Krobo District office in Somanya with effect from 1st December, 2021.”
He indicated that ECG has therefore opened and inaugurated a new District office at Juapong Monday December 6, 2021 located within the former Krobo District.
“It must be noted that ECG regions and districts are not coterminous with political districts and political regions. The former Krobo district used to serve parts of seven political districts.
“With this new arrangement, the newly opened Juapong District office is now the district headquarters for the ECG district which serves parts of the seven political districts namely, Yilo Krobo, Lower Manya Krobo, Asuogyaman, Ho West, North Tongu, Shai Osudoku and Okere.”
The Regional Manager explained that because the electricity distribution system is not self-sustaining and requires 24 hours/7days operations and maintenance by staff of ECG to provide reliable power supply but unfortunately, due to the recent demonstrations and threats on the very lives of those responsible for operating and maintaining the electricity distribution networks, ECG is unable to continue full operations in the affected areas.
As a result, he added “Management cannot risk the lives of any of our hardworking staff under such an unsafe environment.”
He however mentioned that “owing to the very serious security threats against the ECG Staff in parts of Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo municipalities, reliability of power supply in that enclave will be dependent on availability of full Police escort for ECG’s engineers to attend to power supply challenges.
It must be emphasized that, ECG will continue to provide quality, safe and reliable electricity services to the other parts of the ECG district where security of staff and installations are guaranteed.”
According to him, ECG has officially requested the Inspector General of Police and all National Security agencies to provide adequate security for all staff of ECG and all of ECG’s installations and facilities within the affected enclave.
“ECG is committed to a peaceful resolution of the impasse and improvement in revenue collection in the Krobo area to enable ECG to deliver its mandate of providing quality, safe and reliable electricity services to support the socio-economic growth and development of Ghana. ECG is therefore, open to continued dialogue and engagement with all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful environment conducive for normal operations,” Ing. Akinie stated.
By Vincent Kubi