According to Awake Reporter, John Tetteh Fohesi who is currently at the scene, the entire Somanya-Odumase Road has been blocked with [ads1]thousands of residents crowded in red.
He said, the situation is very chaotic as there is an ongoing exchange of gun fire between the police of the residents in which the son of the arrested leader has allegedly been shot.
Background of Situation:
Some residents in the Manya and Yilo Krobo Districts in the Eastern Region last week declared what they referred to as ‘war’ on the Somanya branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) over outrageous bills.
According to the residents, ECG has failed to issue out their light bills to them for close to two years including this year.
They later brought all the compiled bills for which some households have received bills as high as GH¢32,000.00, GH¢6,000.00, and GH¢3,200.00 among others.
The residents described the situation as unfortunate and said they will not be able to pay such outrageous amounts.
This has led to disconnection of some of households within the vicinity.
The affected residents represented by the voice of Krobos, at a meeting yesterday in Somanya said all their efforts to dialogue with the company over the issue for the bills to be recalculated has proved futile.
According to Mr. Teye Kwau Kasim (Alhaji), Organizer of the Voice of Krobos who spoke to Awake News on Sunday, May 21, 2017 said any attempt by ECG to disconnect any other household again over the unresolved bills will lead to untold situation.
Mr. Kasim said that at several meetings with the Somanya ECG management, they have been informed that the ‘new metres brought from China’ were the cause of the miscalculation and that they will rework on the bills. However, to their outmost surprise, ECG started disconnecting affected people without resolving their petition.
The group therefore threatens to shut down the EGC office if it dares disconnect the entire Yilo and Manya Krobo from the national grade as being alleged.
“ECG should remember the Akosombo dam is just close to us, they should remember the high tension polls pass through our lands. If they dare disconnect the entire Yilo and Manya, they should be ready for a total national blackout” – Mr. Kasim told Awake News in an interview.
The group is also calling for the immediate transfer of the ECG Somanya manager.
“We don’t want this manager, he must go. We want a Krobo who best understands us to be the manager” – Mr. Kasim added.
A former assembly member, Mr. Nenebi who spoke to Awake News called on ‘the powers that be’ to quickly intervene and ensure the matter is resolved amicably as early as possible to forestall any disturbance.
Attack on ECG Office
The ECG Eastern Regional office came under attack from some residents who were dissatisfied with what they described as ‘outrageous’ utility bills.
The residents wielding sticks and stones damaged the office of the company in protest after they waited for hours to get a response from ECG officials without success. They left behind broken glasses and dirty ECG walls .
It has emerged the protest was led by the Assembly Member of the area, Jones Tetteh popularly known as Dindindin who owns a block factory in the area. He is reported to have incited the residents after his factory was denied power following his inability to pay his bills.
Source: Awake News