Irate ECG staff threaten to ‘disconnect’ Ashanti Regional Minister if…
“We will continue to disconnect electricity to institutions that owe us without any fear”.
That was the warning issued by protesting Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) workers to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah.
The workers are agitated because the Minister ordered the arrest of the ECG Regional General Manager, Mark Wiafe Asumani for leading an exercise to disconnect electricity supply to the Kumasi Technical University, two weeks ago.
Mr Asumani was subsequently released on self-recognizance bail. Angered by the arrest, the Junior and Senior Staff Association of the ECG demanded an apology from the Regional Minister.
They described the arrest as a strategy to bully ECG officials and force them to do the bidding of political heads at the expense of the company’s interest.
“The action that was taken by the Regional Minister was unnecessary and intimidating. How can the Minister ask our General Manager to take instructions from him before embarking on any disconnection exercise? We want to make it clear to him that we (ECG) do not take directives from him”, the Ashanti East ECG Senior Staff Union Chairman, Yussif Usman Abdulai stated.
Ashanti East ECG Senior Staff Union Chairman, Yussif Usman Abdulai
To press home their demand for an apology from the Minister, all ECG offices in the Ashanti Region had red flags hoisted and staff draped in red attire, on Wednesday April 24.
The angry ECG staff has asked their four Regional Managers to stop attending any meeting called by the Regional Security Council until the Minister apologizes.
“This is the first in series of our protests. If the Minister still refuses to apologize, the National Executive Committee will meet again and take another action but for now, we will just place red bands in our offices whilst serving our customers without any interruption.
“The Regional Minister should rather be advising institutions to pay their bills for smooth operation of ECG. We do not take delight in going to disconnect institutions or homes, but if you don’t pay, we will come for you without any fear or favour”, National Vice Chairman of ECG Senior Staff Union, Bismark Adomah warned.
Bismark Adomah, National Vice-Chairman ECG SSU
The Ashanti Regional TUC Chairman, Daniel Acquah indicated that not even the Regional Minister would be spared if he fails to pay his bill.
“Let the Minister know that if anybody owes us, we need to take our money. Even if he (minister) owes us, we will disconnect his light. He can then order the Police to come and arrest us all”.
The ECG staff are bent on not backing down on their protest until the Minister accedes to their demand and apologizes for his action.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, when contacted on the issue said he will address the media at the appropriate time.
