The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has denied accusations of being responsible for a fire outbreak at a residential facility in Two-Streams, Koforidua, which destroyed three chamber-and-hall apartments on Thursday, January 24, 2025.
Occupants of the facility blamed the incident on ECG staff, alleging that their “Rambo-style” disconnection of power, due to an unpaid electricity bill of about GHC 6,000, sparked the fire.
According to the residents, the disconnection exercise was conducted under police escort after an initial resistance from the landlord and tenants.
Eyewitnesses claim that just 30 minutes after the disconnection, the property was engulfed in flames.
The affected residents, supported by the Assembly Member for the Two-Streams Electoral Area, Citizen Kofi Tetteh, have threatened legal action against ECG and plan to file a formal complaint with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).
“What I intend to do is to lead the affected residents to lodge a formal complaint with the PURC and, if necessary, engage lawyers to ensure justice is served,” Mr. Tetteh stated.
However, ECG has dismissed the allegations, describing them as false. In a press release signed by the General Manager of External Communications, Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, ECG clarified that the disconnection was lawful and could not have caused the fire.
The statement revealed that the customer had defaulted on a GHC 6,519.38 bill since September 2024. During an ongoing revenue mobilization exercise, ECG staff discovered that the customer had illegally reconnected their power. The team, with police assistance, disconnected the electricity directly from the pole after threats from the occupants.
“The disconnection of power supply directly from a pole completely curtails electricity to the premises and cannot, by any means, cause a fire outbreak,” the statement read.
ECG emphasized that disconnection is a legal measure to ensure compliance and urged customers to pay their bills promptly and avoid illegal connections, which are criminal and have severe penalties.
The company assured the public that it remains committed to delivering safe and reliable services, adding that it would never endanger lives or property through its operations. The cause of the fire outbreak remains under investigation.
Source: www.kumasimail.com/ Obed Ansah/Koforiduah
