A 24-year-old shop clerk at Abeka Free Pipe in Accra, Veronica Ansah, has been arrested by the police for allegedly threatening and locking up a member of the monitoring staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) at the shop.
ECG staff members are part of a team in a monitoring exercise to check the health of prepaid meters in the area.
The team was pulled into the store, which had been disconnected before the owner engaged the by-pass meter.
However, it was reconnected by the customer without the involvement, knowledge, or permission of ECG.
Narration
Narrating the incident to the media, the Regional Revenue Protection Manager of ECG Accra West, Dr Mark Owusu Ansah, noted that on three previous occasions, customers had connected power to the shop despite the bill they received because they were involved in illegal connections.
“There is a bill of GH¢ 10,517.53 that the shop has to pay to bypass the meter and use the power for free. The customer has not approached us to clear this debt, and continues to reconnect whenever we are disconnected,” he said.
Dr. Owusu Ansah further said that the customer was threatened, the staff member when he opened the grounds to exercise, and ordered his assistant to lock him up when they called a mob to attack him.
The locked worker was rescued by his colleagues who visited the nearby premises. The case was reported to the police and the officer was arrested.
Recovery
Last year, the Accra West Region of ECG recovered nearly GH¢10.4 million from 1,900 subscribers who were arrested for engaging in various types of illegal connections.
These customers were charged extra for the power they used, and some were tried in court for power theft.
The General Manager of ECG Accra West, Ebenezer Ghunney, disclosed that there have been incidents of threats and attacks against company staff while performing their legitimate duties.
“We are liaising with security agencies to ensure that our staff work in the best and most peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
Mr Ghunney added that the company’s legal powers will be mobilized to take action against anyone who obstructs the work of the company’s field staff.
Accra West Region has eight operational districts: Ablekuma, Achimota, Amasaman, Bortianor, Dansoman, Kaneshie, Korle Bu and Nsawam.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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