ECG to close communication gap - Managing Director

Mr Samuel Boakye-Appiah, Managing Director (MD) of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has observed that crisis situations that occurred between ECG and its customers were as a result of lack of communication.

He made this observation on Monday during a joint emergency meeting with Assembly members of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, Management of ECG and the Manya Krobo Traditional Council at Odumasi Krobo to interact with the community as a way of informing them about their operations.

"We will close the communication gap between the ECG and our good customers through customer education to ensure a better co-existence," he said.

This came on the heels of recent destruction of ECG facilities and a police vehicle by some aggrieved members of the Somanya community who thought their electricity tariffs were too high.

As a prelude to a plan education campaign by the ECG, the MD told the community that it was not the ECG but rather the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) that determined electricity prices.

He also told them of the huge cost involved in distributing electricity adding that "it costs a lot to produce and distribute electricity so electricity consumed must be paid for."

He said it was a criminal offense to temper with ECG equipment’s, and further advised them to channel their grievances to appropriate institutions to avoid such crisis.

Mr. Boakye-Appiah said that "the primary objective of the ECG is to see to it that our workers in the district feel secure; they endure threats to their lives and therefore cannot resume normal work."

He therefore prayed that such threats be eliminated so they could continue their services to the communities.

He observed that restoration of normal electricity service to the community was vital because there were important institutions within the Somanya District and that the District served many communities.

Nene Sakite II, Paramount Chief of Manya Krobo, expressed his heart felt condemnation over the attack of the ECG office and the police vehicle.

"As the Kronor of Manya Krobo, my chiefs, Queen Mother and Elders of the Paramount Stool categorically condemn this kind of hooliganism and completely disapprove of it," he said.

In referring to the incident as an act of cowardice, he said "in a civilized society when one has a grievance about a potential problem which needs to be addressed, it is prudent that one seeks the proper authorities, sit down with them around a table to iron out those pertinent issues to get them resolved.

“Throwing stones at buildings whilst workers were inside doing their job is unwise and doesn't solve any problem," Nene Sakite II said.

He assured the management of ECG that the crisis was an isolated case which would not be repeated again on Krobo land.

Mr. Simon Tetteh, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, hoped that the forum would give both ECG and customers the opportunity to educate themselves on issues affecting both sides.

He assured the gathering of the continual collaboration of the Municipal Assembly with ECG so they could deliver better services to the community.