The Minority in Parliament has called on the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to restore power to residents of Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipalities in the Eastern Region.
Power supply was cut to Somanya and Odumase, following the relocation of ECG’s Somanya Office to Juapong in the North Tongu constituency of the Volta Region.
The relocation was necessitated by the United Krobo Foundation’s order for the ECG to pack out and leave.
ECG had also cited insecurity and threats to the lives of its workers as reasons for moving.
The Minority in a statement signed by the Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, John Abdulai Jinapor, said the relocation was unfair and punishment to residents in the municipalities.
“Whilst acknowledging the need to safeguard and protect the network, lives, and properties of the ECG and its staff, we believe strongly that it is untenable to subject innocent people to such collective punishments. We equally wish to call on the ECG to restore power to the affected communities immediately, whilst appealing to the chiefs and people to ensure the safety of the ECG staff.”
The Minority also called for the intervention of the Ministry of Energy in the impasse associated with the electrical power outages.
“Given the circumstances, we wish to call on all stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of Energy, to intervene as a matter of urgency and promote dialogue towards resolving the impasse.”
The United Krobo Foundation had issued the ultimatum after a series of demonstrations following the introduction of prepaid metres in the communities.
Business owners in the municipalities have been contending with the attendant negative impact.
The ECG has already said it is hoping to restore power to the people of the Manya and Yilo Krobo areas in the Eastern Region by the close of the week.
