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The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has noted that Accra Academy will remain disconnected until it meets certain conditions in line with the company’s revenue collection efforts.
ECG’s External Communications Manager, Laila Abubakari, while engaging the media, noted that one of these conditions is the settlement of at least 50% of the outstanding bills by the school authorities.
Another solution she floated would be that “someone has to guarantee for them” that “payment will be made “within the shortest possible time.”
“The problem ECG finds itself in is consistent debt. And every month, our debt profile is different. So we have to be more aggressive because we have bills to pay.
“We have issues so we have to be less compassionate, unfortunately,” she said.
Accra Academy reportedly owes around GHS500,000 in post-paid electricity bills dating back to July 2023.
The company explained that it was compelled to disconnect Accra Academy from the national grid on Monday due to unpaid electricity bills.
This resulted in a total blackout on the senior high school’s campus, forcing students to resort to torchlights for studying.
The disconnection sparked concerns among guardians and stakeholders, highlighting broader issues regarding utility payments in second-cycle institutions nationwide.
Meanwhile, a staff member of the school expressed concern about why pre-paid users were also disconnected if the issue was about arrears.
However, Mrs. Abubakari explained that this was a strange development and that ECG would investigate how it occurred.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) disconnected Accra Academy Senior High School over an unpaid debt of Gh¢400,000 in July 2023. The entire campus was blacked out last night, so the students used torchlights to study during prep hours.
One of the tutors who prefers to have his identity concealed said he was informed by a colleague tutor that ECG officials arrived to disconnect the school power due to unpaid debts and even some tutors with prepaid meters on campus had their power supply cut off.
The tutor revealed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) officials claiming to be from the Head Office, remained steadfast in their decision to disconnect the power, rejecting pleas and any negotiation attempts. Expressing his concern for the student’s safety, teaching and learning activities he pleaded with them to restore the power supply.
“Today is the saddest day in my life as a tutor with over 31 years of experience. I have never witnessed anything like this before. We received a call that ECG officials were on campus to disconnect the school due to some indebtedness. What pains me is that tutors staying on campus, who use prepaid meters, have also been disconnected. Currently, we have about 3,000 students in school, and this is the situation we find ourselves in. If something happens to any of the students, who will be held responsible?” He lamented
Moreover, the External Communications Manager for the Electricity Company of Ghana, Laila Abubakari explained, that one condition for the school to be reconnected to the national grid is for the authorities to “settle at least 50% of the outstanding bills”.
They appeal to the officials from higher authorities about the debt. Despite efforts to resolve the issue with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) their leaders to reconsider have been futile emphasizing the settlement of the debts.
tigpost.com
