The National Security Ministry has urged residents of the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo municipalities to cooperate with security agencies and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in ensuring that they are put back on the national grid for power restoration.
There have been tensions between the residents and the ECG in the area over the installation of prepaid meters leading to an alleged exchange of gunshots between the military and some residents at Nuaso.
This has led to the entire communities in both municipalities plunged into total darkness after being taken off the national grid.
According to the Ministry, the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and other stakeholders had, at a meeting, reached a consensus to foster peace and security and promote socio-economic activities in both municipalities.
The consensus reached included an assessment of all power transmission lines and the installation of prepaid meters.
The deployment of security personnel to the said areas is to ensure law and order during the installation of pre-paid meters.
The challenges associated with power restoration necessitated a stakeholder meeting that involved the Ministry of National Security, the Electricity Company of Ghana, the Eastern Regional Minister, and the Municipal Chief Executives of the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Municipalities on Thursday, August 11, 2022.
As the ECG works to address the challenges to ensure power is restored, the Ministry of National Security has called on the residents to cooperate with the ECG.
“It is anticipated that the consensus reached between the said stakeholders would engender peace and security, promote socio-economic activities, and restore normalcy to the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Municipalities.
“Residents of the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Municipalities are, therefore, urged to cooperate with the security agencies and the Electricity Company of Ghana to ensure law and order as electricity supply is restored to the affected areas.”
The consensus also added that “persons whose conduct threatens to disrupt the exercise” be arrested to ensure peace is maintained in the area.
The Ministry made this known in a press statement issued on Wednesday, August 17, 2022.
Meanwhile, engineers conducting the integrity test on the situation on Tuesday, August 16, said 81 out of a total of 147 substations have been assessed so far.
However the ECG is unsure of the exact date the power would be restored, PRO of ECG for Tema Region, Ms. Sakyiwaa Mensah said all repair works must be completed first.
“ECG cannot at the moment determine how long all these repair works will take. Yet all the repair works must be done before the power supply can be restored. We hope to complete this soon enough” she noted.
