A group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Kroboland has expressed its readiness to pay electricity tariffs after the week-long blackout in the Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo districts of the Eastern Region.
Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has refused to allow its staff to work in the two districts because of safety concerns after a programme to install prepaid metres in households was violently resisted by residents of the area.
The decision by ECG to deploy personnel of the 48 Engineers Regiment to assist in the hasty installation of the meters was confronted with another challenge, forcing the engineers of ECG to stay out of danger after they were allegedly threatened by some residents of the two districts.
However, a statement issued by the Concerned Citizens of Kroboland and signed by its Commissioner, S.K Tettey indicated that the threats to the lives of the ECG engineers were only issued by Kpongunor, a community which is less than 6 percent of the entire population in Kroboland.
It condemned a certain wrong impression being created in the media that all customers in Kroboland are against the move by the state’s power-distribution company.
According to them, “Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo districts have a combined population of about 243,000 people.”
It continued “The major towns are Somanya, Odumase, Agormanya, Kpong, Nuaso and Akuse.
“The installation of the prepaid meters has been welcomed by all the densely populated towns which form the economic hub for both districts. Residents of Kpong and Somanya, which are the most populated towns in Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo respectively, have cooperated with ECG engineers on the installation of prepaid meters and have since been buying and using prepaid credit.”
It indicated that Kpongunor is “a minor community whose population is less than 6 percent of the entire population of Kroboland”.
“It is, however, unfortunate that the rejection of the prepaid meters by this minor community in Lower Manya Krobo is the grounds on which ECG has pulled off the plugs thereby plunging the entire Krobo area into darkness for over 14 days.”
The Concerned Youth mentioned that the situation is affecting not only livelihoods but also local businesses, asking ECG to deal with Kpongubor separately from those ready to pay and comply with the rules and regulations of ECG.
“We call on ECG to restore power supply to the communities that have accepted the prepaid meters whiles it takes steps to settle its scores with the recalcitrant community,” it stated.
By Vincent Kubi