Arrest of ECG Boss: I won’t apologize – Ashanti Regional Minister
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has rejected calls for him to apologize for causing the arrest of the Ashanti East General Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana, Michael Asomani Wiafe.
According to Mr Osei Mensah, his decision to report the ECG Manager to the police was due to the management’s breach of agreement in a payment schedule with the Kumasi Technical University which is owing the power distributing company.
Members of the Senior and Junior Staff Unions of the ECG in the Ashanti Region had demanded an apology from the Minister for manhandling the area General Manager of ECG.
Mr Wiafe was arrested on the orders of the Ashanti Regional Minister because he allegedly defied his directive to restore power to the school.
“This agreement was between the ECG and the Ashanti East Region and Kumasi Technical University.
“Parties agreed that 60% of ECG bills owed by Kumasi Technical University from August 2023 to December 2023 will be paid two weeks every month. Now, the accumulated difference of 40% will be paid by January 31, 2024.
Mr. Mensah in an interview with JoyNews, said that even though the institution followed the prearranged timetable, the ECG disconnected it, citing a national task force as the reason for the move. He also added that the university was disconnected even though the facility used prepaid meters.
“If KSTU is unable to secure a letter from the Ministry of Finance and the government’s commitment to pay the debt, then they [KSTU] must reach an acceptable debt-scheduled agreement with ECG not later than January 31, 2024.
“The ECG reserves the right to take debt recovery action against KSTU without further notice when this agreement is breached,” he said.
In response, Mr. Mensah said that on April 11, 2024, he got a distress call from the Kumasi Technical University Council Chairman informing him that, despite their agreement with ECG, their power had been cut off the day before.
He claimed that after speaking with Mr. Wiafe, who had signed the contract on the ECG’s behalf, he decided to call the police to look into the situation more thoroughly after finding out that the university was not in arrears on its payment arrangement.
“So I asked him if KSTU was defaulting on the payment plan, and he said no so I got worried and said if that’s the case, then I will ask the police to invite you to go and write a statement which we will use in the future if the need arises,” Mr Mensah added.
