Angry youth at Sefwi Asawinso Ketewa, in the Bibiani-Bekwai district of Western North Region, over the weekend, allegedly assaulted some workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). The ECG staff had visited the community to disconnect their lighting system for non-payment of accumulated bills when the incidence occurred.
The ECG workers were said to have sustained various degrees of injuries, with tyres of three of their company’s vehicles deflated.
The staff were sent to a nearby clinic where they were treated and discharged. The Ghana Police Service has promised to investigate the incidence and bring the culprits to book.
Non-payment of bill
Information available to the Daily Statesman indicates that the residents of the Asawinso Ketewa community had defaulted in payment of their bills to ECG for some months now. This was because, according to the residents, ECG’s transformer had been fixed on their land. They claimed that no compensation was paid them for using that portion of the land and that the only means of pacifying themselves was the refusal to pay light bills.
The local unit committee and assembly member for the area are said to be in support of the decision of the youth.
In spite of numerous pleas by ECG, the residents would still not pay their light bills . This compelled the energy selling company to order its workers to go and disconnect the lighting system in the whole community, resulting in the assault.
The police have, however, condemned the action, describing it as lawless, barbaric and primitive.
Superintendent Martin Adinziga, Asawinso District Police commander, said the youth had no right assaulting the ECG workers, adding that there is nowhere in the world that such actions are taken.
“The action by the Asawinso Ketewa youth is totally wrong and unheard of, and so my boys will definitely conduct a thorough investigation into the issue and bring the culprits to book,” he assured.
