Power Distribution Services (PDS) has revealed that it lost about GHc86 million in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality over the non-payment of bills by customers in the last five years.
This follows recent distresses by residents in the area who have refused to pay their bills on grounds that there was an existing agreement for them not to pay electricity bills.
The Tema Regional General Manager of the PDS, Joseph Mensah Forson, highlighted some of PDS’ financial challenges whilst accusing controversial group, the United Krobo Foundation of influencing residents to resist PDS’ mass disconnection exercise due to unpaid bills adding that, “These actions by the customers in the district have caused the company serious challenges in its commercial activities and in effect, its finances and operations. Counting back from 2014 up to 2019, we are talking about close to GHc 86 million.”
Mr. Forson also denied claims of PDS overbilling residents, explaining that the power company has never over billed any consumer in the area but a clear case of accumulated Bills from over the years.
“The bills that they are talking about and they say they are overbilled; it is not overbilling per se. It is the terminologies that they are getting wrong,” he stated.
According to him, “the metres of such customers were installed by the Ministry of Energy and by the time that PDS was made aware to make sure such customers were captured, they might have enjoyed electricity for a year, two or three years.”
“So, when you get that a year, two or three years bill… it is as a result of the residual years that the metres were not captured. That is what they actually project as overbilling,” Mr. Forson added.
About 100 security personnel have been deployed to the district to curb rioting that went on for days. The Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfuor, has charged security personnel deployed to the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality to arrest members of the United Krobo Foundation accused of fueling violence.
The turbulence over the disconnection exercise has led to at least one death, many injuries and the arrest of 35 persons.
