Attacks on ECG, NEDCO staff will not be tolerated – Energy Minister

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

ECG losses GH¢3.2 billion due to illegal connections

ECG, NEDCO staff attacked

NEDCO embarks on sit-down strike

Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has indicated that attacks on workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company will not be tolerated by the Ministry.

His comments come after some officials of ECG and NEDCo were attacked by power consumers in the Eastern and Northern regions whiles on an exercise to check illegal connections.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, the sector minister noted that the Electricity Company of Ghana was making losses to the tune of GH¢3.2 billion due to practices such as illegal connections.

“The attack on ECG staff, or NEDCo staff, the butchering of NEDCo workers because they are doing their normal duty is not going to be tolerated."

“The amount of money ECG doesn’t collect, from figures within ECG, their commercial losses and their collection losses and theft, those who are bypassing their meters, is costing ECG nearly GHC 3.2 billion."

He continued, saying, “We employ all Ghanaians that the little energy that ECG or NEDCo gets to you, pay for it.”

Meanwhile, workers of NEDCO embarked on a sit-down strike in solidarity with their colleagues who were attacked by some residents of Koblimahgu and allegedly inflicted cutlass wounds on two of them last week.

Some of the NEDCo staff shared their experiences in their operations in Tamale, saying the situation is life-threatening.

However, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has helped to resolve the impasse.

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