VRA-customer impasse in Tamale: More education needed - Residents

Some residents in Tamale, the capital city of the Northern region, have called for more customer education, to solve the persistent impasse between the Volta River Authority (VRA)and its customers.

It will be remembered that for about two weeks, the staff of the VRA and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDco), laid down their tools.

This was in protest against the continual beatings and attacks on its workers in some areas in the Tamale Metropolis.

Some residents in the Tamale Metro urged the service provider(VRA/NEDco) to embark on customer education to help solve the matter.

The residents believed that if the masses are educated, it would help reduce the attacks on the staff of the service providers.

"Well, for me, I think we as customers still need more education, I will say that those who engage in physical combat with the service provider, lack knowledge on the responsibilities of the VRA," one Fuseini said.

"Okay, yes education is needed to solve the problems because I think most of us don't really know much about our responsibilities as customers and that of the VRA," another resident said.

"I think they (VRA) should use the media, especially the radio, to educate us more, the NCCE should also step up their works, it is ignorance that let the people attack them".

They also urged the VRA/NEDco, to make sure that they engage the right people to execute jobs on their behalf.

According to the residents, most of the VRA staff or persons engaged to do work for the service provider, at times misbehaves, leading to the impasses.

"What I think should be done, is for the VRA to engage people who respect the rights of customers, most VRA workers lack respect for their customers," Mr Aminu said.

Attacks on VRA/NEDco staff

The staff of the Volta River Authority and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company, have on several occasions been attacked by customers in and around the Tamale Metro.

Mention can be made of communities like Koblimahigu, Nyaanshegu, Gbalo-Kpalsi, Changli, and others where the staff of the aforementioned institutions have been attacked.