Krobo chiefs declare 'can’t pay, won’t pay' campaign for fair electricity bills

Divisional chiefs in Manya Krobo have given the strongest indication yet that Krobos will not pay any outstanding outrageous bills owed the Electricity Company of Ghana by power consumers in Manya Krobo.

The chiefs who were unanimous in this declaration accused the power managers of forcing down inordinately high and cooked electricity bills down the necks of Krobos, a situation they believed has led to the current stand-off between power consumers in the area and its suppliers.

Divisional Chief of Piengua, Nene Tetteh Zogli III declared what he called the “can’t pay, won’t pay” campaign aimed at calling on the power providers to ensure that power users in the area were not short-changed.

“Our campaign is simple; can’t pay, won’t pay, campaign,” said the chief on behalf of the other chiefs to rapturous applause of approval from the people. “It is a campaign we are waging to ensure that we get fair light bills which we will pay otherwise, we will not pay.”

The four divisional chiefs, Nene Tetteh Zogli III, Divisional Chief of Piengua; Okpatakpla Sasraku II, Manya/Aklomuase; Akwenor Division, Nene Tetteh Odonkor Asare II; Dorm Division, Nene Bediako Baah Muala Suisi Matse and other chiefs including Chief of Suisi Okwenya and Adadlikworsi, Kodjonya, Nene Olepeme Sackinor Nanor I, Nene Tettey Yumu III, Kpong Matse and Nomo Klemesi, Head of Djemelehi (Klowekiwem), took the stance at a press conference held at the Osiekuse community grounds on Wednesday, October 23, 2019.

Residents in Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo had since 2017 insisted that the bills were outrageous and demanded the power company investigates the cause of the sudden rise. The development has led to several clashes between the residents on one hand and the police and PDS on the other hand with the latest being May 22, 2019 where seven persons were shot resulting in one death.

Chief of Suisi Okwenya and Adadlikworsi, Kodjonya, Nene Olepeme Sackinor Nanor I appealed to the government to waive the “illegitimate” outstanding bills which consumers in the area were being forced to pay, adding that residents were ready to pay only legitimate bills. “We cannot pay those bills and so we call on government to cleanse those bills and bring us our correct bills,” he said.

Nene Olepeme Sackinor Nanor I in apologizing to the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo and energy minister, John Peter Amewu over the clashes between residents and the PDS said residents were pushed to the wall to stage the revolt.

“Our message to the president and the energy minister is that Krobos are peaceful citizens. Unfortunately, they were forced to take the steps they took because nobody listened to our complaints,” the chief said. “If we faulted or took any actions deemed inappropriate, we apologize.”

However, the chief in recalling the injuries and death to some protestors over the impasse questioned the use of armed police personnel in what the then PDS termed a ‘revenue mobilization exercise.’ “Do we use armed police personnel to demand electricity bills?” he queried, adding that the power suppliers could not explore its option of court action against defaulters since most of the bills were “illegal.” PRO of pressure group, the United Krobo Foundation (UKF), Tei Kwao Kassim whose group had championed the cause of power consumers in the Krobo area, in backing the calls of the chiefs said it was still resilient in its campaign for fair treatment of consumers.