The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has taken a stand against the arrest of its Ashanti Regional General Manager, Mr. Michael Wiafe, for overseeing the disconnection of power supply to Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) due to unpaid bills.
This protest has been marked by all ECG offices across the country hoisting red flags to show their disapproval of the treatment towards their GM.
The catalyst for this protest was the failure of Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah to apologize and withdraw the case filed against Mr. Wiafe.
The staff members of ECG in the Ashanti region demanded an apology from the regional minister and the withdrawal of the case by a specified deadline. Failing, all ECG offices in the region would hoist red flags and be in red to showcase their discontent.
The Public Utilities Worker’s Union (PUWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) along with members of the public have joined in criticizing the actions of the minister. However, no official statement has been released by the police or government regarding this matter.
The background to this conflict stems from the disconnection of KsTU from the national grid due to an outstanding debt of GHC1.2 million.
The minister claimed that he had not been informed about the disconnection despite his previous instructions to notify him before any disconnections in public universities. This dispute led to the complaint filed by the minister, resulting in the detention of the General Manager by the police.
In response to these events, ECG has reaffirmed its authority to disconnect any institution or individual for non-payment of electricity bills without seeking permission from external parties.
The union has also urged all state institutions, departments, and agencies in the Ashanti region to ensure timely payment of their electricity bills to avoid such conflicts in the future.
