A 24-year-old shop attendant at Abeka Free Pipe in Accra, Veronica Ansah, is in the grip of the police for allegedly threatening and locking up a monitoring staff member of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the shop.
The ECG staff member was part of a team on a monitoring exercise to audit the health of prepaid meters in the area.
The team was drawn to the shop, which was disconnected previously after the owner engaged in a meter by-pass.
However, it was reconnected by the customer without the involvement, knowledge or permission of the ECG.
Narration
Narrating the incident to the media, the ECG Accra West Regional Revenue Protection Manager, Dr Mark Owusu Ansah, noted that on three previous occasions, the customer had reconnected power to her shop despite a bill slapped on her for engaging in an illegal connection.
“There is a bill of GH¢10,517.53 owed by the shop for bypassing the meter and using power for free. The customer has not approached us to clear this debt, and keeps reconnecting herself anytime we disconnect,” he said.
Dr Owusu Ansah further revealed that the customer threatened the staff member when he visited the premises for the exercise, and ordered her attendant to lock him up while they called a mob to attack them.
The locked-up employee was rescued by colleagues who were visiting nearby premises. The case was reported to the police and the attendant was arrested.
Last year, the Accra West Region of the ECG recovered nearly GH¢10.4 million from 1,900 customers who were apprehended for engaging in various forms of illegal connections.
Those customers were surcharged for the power they used, with some tried in court for stealing power.
The ECG Accra West General Manager, Ebenezer Ghunney, bemoaned incidents of threats and attacks on staff of the company while they carried out their legitimate duties.
“We are liaising with the security agencies to ensure that our staff work in the best congenial and peaceful atmosphere always,” he said.
Mr Ghunney added that the full legal might of the company would be assembled to take action against anyone who impedes the smooth work of the field staff of the company.
The Accra West Region has eight operational districts: Ablekuma, Achimota, Amasaman, Bortianor, Dansoman, Kaneshie, Korle Bu and Nsawam.
