Council protests against abnormal power bills

Adankwame (Ash), June 15, GNA - The Adankwame Area Council has protested against what it described as " the widespread abnormal high electricity tariffs by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)", saying this is causing apprehension among the people.

At its meeting held at Adankwame in the Atwima District, the members said electricity bills sent to most customers "are totally unrelated to their actual power consumption".

Mr Emmanuel Kwabena Poku, Chairman of the Council, said monthly bills for households at Asuofua, a resettlement community, has for some time, now been ranging between 200,000 cedis and 800,000 cedis.

He said since consumers do not use electrical gadgets and appliances, "we are inclined to believe that either the meters installed by the ECG are faulty and not correctly read or there is something basically wrong with the Company's billing system".

Mr Poku cited an instance where an old farmer who does not even own a radio set and uses only three bulbs in his house was billed for 500,000 cedis.

He was unhappy that several representations made to the Company to rectify the situation have failed to produce any results.

The Council expressed appreciation to the Government for providing Adankwame, Esaso, Asuofua and Asaman with electricity and hoped that power would also be extended to communities like Aninkroma, Amakye-Bare and Kumi.

Nana Fri Boansi, Twafohene of Asuofua, appealed to the Ministry of Health to turn a maternity Home in the town into a Health Centre.

The Chiefs at Adankwame promised to use part of proceeds from the sale of building plots to support activities of the Council.