The Northern Electricity Distribution Company has embarked on an exercise to disconnect and reclaim monies owed them from debtors within the Upper West Region.
The exercise took place on the 18th of April 2023, it covered categories of customers including State Owned Enterprises, Ministries, Departments, Agencies assemblies and individuals involved in illegal connections and reconnections.
Upper West Regional Area Manager of NEDCO/VRA Ing. Francis Yamesor indicated that Customers owe them about 1.2billion Ghana Cedis and they also owe Volta River Authority(VRA) 1.6 Billion Ghana Cedis and also GRIDCO, 481 million Ghana Cedis.
“VRA/NEDCO in general, customers owe us about 1.2 billion Ghana Cedis, we owe power generators that is VRA, Ghc1.6 billion and the transmitters, that is GRIDCO, We owe them 481 million Ghana Cedis, the Department which is NEDCO needs 120 million cedis to Make Power Available to our customers, as we speak we are able to collect only 85 million Ghana Cedis from our customers monthly and currently we have a deficit of Ghc35 million every month and if we don’t work on this it means the business will come to a halt”.
Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University was disconnected for owing Ghc2.2million. Power was disconnected when some students were writing their exams.
The Wa Nursing Training College and Wa High Court were also disconnected, they collectively owed Ghc41,000.
The Wa High Court Owes Ghc15000 whilst the Wa Nursing Training College Owes Ghc26,000 according to the Upper West Area Manager.
The Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies owes Ghc8.8 million but the Ministry of Education has intervened pledging to Pay their Debts from 2021 till 2023 before the Institution begins paying, The Area Manager added that after intervention from the Ministry of Education, the University Currently Owes Ghc145,000.
Source: Upperwestmedia.net