The youth group accused of fueling the clashes between residents and staff of the Power Distribution Services (PDS) in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region, has criticized the Eastern Regional Minister for accusing them unfairly.
The Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Daffuor blamed the group for the recurrent clashes and called for their arrest.
However, the group, United Krobo Foundation, says it is merely fighting injustice against the Krobo people.
Their Spokesperson, Tei Quao Kaismu told Citi News they are not resisting the payment of electricity bills but are only fighting an unfair billing system.
“United Krobo Foundation realized that PDS is stealing from Krobos and the moment we raised this issue, people joined so we called ECG and PDS telling them that we did not understand some of these issues. When we are supposed to pay 2,000, they will bring 10,000.
“We told them to reduce the bill for us but they did not agree. We did not say we will not pay the bill but what they are bringing to us is too much.
PDS says it has lost about GHC86 million in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality over the non-payment of bills by customers in the last five years.
PDS’ concerns come amid the unrest in the municipality as it engages in a mass disconnection exercise.
The Tema Regional General Manager of the PDS, Joseph Mensah Forson, highlighted some of the company’s financial challenges while accusing the United Krobo Foundation of fueling the agitation against its mass disconnection exercise.
“These actions by the customers in the district have caused the company serious challenges in its commercial activities and in effect, its finances and operations. Counting back from 2014 up to 2019, we are talking about close to GHC86 million.”
Mr. Forson also discounted claims of overbilling as alleged by consumers in the area explaining that they are merely accumulated bills.
“The bills that they are talking about and they say they are overbilling; it is not overbilling per se. It is the terminologies that they are getting wrong,” he remarked.
About 100 security personnel have been deployed to the district to curb rioting that went on for days.
The person who died was hit by a stray bullet during an attack on a police team protecting the Municipal Assembly Office on Wednesday afternoon.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfuor has charged security personnel to arrest members of the United Krobo Foundation accused of fueling violence.
Source: citinewsroom.com
