Ashanti Regional Minister Fires Back At Protesting ECG Staff, Defends Arrest Of ECG Manager

• Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah has rejected the demand for an apology from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Workers’ Union
• The protests by the workers follow Osei-Mensah's order for the arrest of one of their managers
• As part of their protest, ECG workers have started wearing red bands at their offices nationwide

Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah has refused calls from the protesting Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Workers’ Union to apologise for the arrest of one of its managers.

Osei-Mensah justified the arrest of the Ashanti East Manager of the ECG, Mark Wiafe Asomani, citing security reasons.

During a press conference in Kumasi on Thursday, April 25, 2024, the Minister also criticised the ECG for not heeding warnings from the Security Council to maintain uninterrupted power supply at the residences of the President and his Vice when they are in the region.

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Workers of the ECG recently warned the Ashanti Regional Minister to settle outstanding electricity bills or face disconnection.

As part of their protest, ECG workers have started wearing red bands at their offices nationwide.

These bills have been accrued at the minister's private residences.

Osei-Mensah retorted with an allegation that the ECG had been overcharging him for electricity at his residences.

He also maintained he did not owe the power distributor.

ECG board members slapped with GH¢5.8m fine by PURC

YEN.com.gh reported that the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission fined board members of the Electricity Company of Ghana for not providing a load-shedding timetable.

The fine is because the board members violated Regulation 39 of L.I. 2413, which requires prior notification to consumers before any power interruption.

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The commission earlier directed the ECG to provide a load management timetable by April 2, 2024, amid an erratic power supply.

Keli Gadzekpo, who resigned as board chair on March 26, 2024, and the company's Managing Director, Samuel Dubik Mahama, have been affected by the fine.

PURC, in a letter on Monday, April 15, said there were 4,142 outages within the acceptable period.

PURC said 165, representing 3.98 percent of the total outages, were ECG-planned outages.

Only 40 of the outages were preceded by public notices.

Source: YEN.com.gh