Calls have been growing louder for the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, to offer an apology to the Regional Manager of the ECG, Mark Asomani-Wiafe, after he was arrested.
The ECG premises were adorned with red paint on April 24 as part of a series of protests aimed at pushing the Minister to apologize.
However, Simon Osei-Mensah has firmly rejected the demands for an apology, stating that he will not apologize for carrying out his duties.
When questioned about whether he would comply with the ECG staff’s request, he replied, “Do I have to apologize for doing my work as chairman of the Security Council in the region? No”.
During a media briefing, the Minister explained the reasons behind his decision to have the Police invite the ECG manager.
He cited security concerns related to power issues in the region and instances where proper information was not provided before a task force conducted disconnection exercises.
Furthermore, Simon Osei-Mensah highlighted that the ECG failed to respond to requests for information on maintenance schedules and GRIDCo shortfalls.
He also emphasized the importance of ECG’s cooperation in maintaining security protocols in designated areas where top government officials reside.
In response to the ECG Senior Staff Union’s call for regional managers to boycott REGSEC meetings until an apology is issued, Simon Osei-Mensah clarified that none of the ECG managers are part of REGSEC.
The Minister strongly believes that the actions of the ECG staff are an attempt to undermine his authority and the government.
He reiterated his commitment to upholding security responsibilities in the Ashanti Region, emphasizing that he will not be deterred by such challenges.
