The management of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has condemned the recent assault of its taskforce deployed to undertake the nationwide revenue mobilization exercise to recover monies owed to the company by power consumers totaling GH¢5.7 billion.
According to ECG, its taskforces since the commencement of the revenue mobilization exercises have experienced various degrees of assault and harassment by power consumers who get disconnected over non-payment of electricity bills, disrupting the discharge of its duties as stated in the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), of the consumer service Regulations (L.I2413).
In a public notice sighted by the paper, managers of the electricity company condemned the detention of its taskforces at the Ghana Post Head Office in Accra on March 28th after it disconnected the premises over non-payment of electricity bills.
It said, “The Ghana Post Office officers detained the company personnel for over an hour and refused to let them go until assistance was sought from security agencies. This imprisonment by the company officers amounted to assault as captured under sections 84 and 85 of the Criminal Offences Acts 1960 (Act 29) and the company reserves the right to complain to the police for the matter to be investigated and possibly prosecuted.”
The statement further hinted on disconnecting the Osu Police barracks from the national grid after they were fingered for electricity power illegality.
The statement cautioned  power consumers not to harass and assault its taskforce in performing their duties adding, “The consumer will be disconnected for assault until such a period of time that the customer has affirmed its intention in writing to ensure the safety of ECG personnel who have rightfully entered the premises for the purposes of discharging their duties.
The customer pledges not to interfere with the company’s personnel in such a manner. It is the company’s right to initiate civil or criminal proceedings against consumers or offenders.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke