NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
JOINT PRESS RELEASE:
LOWER MANYA & YILO KROBO CONSTITUENCY
RE: KROBOS DO NOT WANT TO PAY LIGHT BILL
The Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo Constituency NDC have noted with Shock, certain unfortunate comments emanating from the quarters of the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Eric Kwakye Darfuor, on the recent impasse between PDS staff and Power consumers within the lower Manya and Yilo Krobo enclave.
The inappropriate comments came from the Minister as he addressed stakeholders at a Municipal Security Meeting in bid to unravel the cause of the Continuous agitations from the Youth of Kroboland in respect of PDS over-billing of power consumers within the Krobo areas.
We condemn the statement of the Eastern Regional Minister to the effect that the people of Kroboland do not want to pay light bills. The minister in a radio interview repeated such reckless statements that “IF YOU KROBO PEOPLE FEEL YOU CANNOT PAY FOR ELECTRICITY, CUT IT OFF”.
We wish to place on record, and it is evident that the people of Kroboland and its environs do pay their light bills without any qualms whatsoever.
We wish to remind the Hon Regional Minister that, the issue of over-billing has remained the prominent reason for the agitations since 2017, and still remain the reason for the recent peaceful demonstrations. The exorbitant bills since 2017 to which the then ECG, now PDS admitted that there were technical errors hence promised to rectify which they never did and only for PDS officials to appear with armed police personnel.
This issue of over-billing was eminent in the 2016 Elections, and constituted a major campaign message of the NPP on Kroboland in which they promised to launch an immediate investigation into the bloated bills should residents vote for then candidate Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo.
Today, the Minister’s actions depict the massive deception which characterized the NPP’s entire Campaign and their subsequent failure to live up to expectation.
We do not understand why, after all these promises, residents would be subjected to extreme brutalities which resulted in the death of a fifteen (15) year old and leaving five (5) other persons injured in critical conditions. We sympathized with the deceased family and wish the injured speedy recovery. We therefore call for justice for all affected persons in these inhumane incidents.
We deem it appropriate to respond to the Minister’s unfortunate claims and to set the records straight, that the Prominent issue of the recent clashes has been the issue of over-billing and not what is being reported in the media to the effect that, Krobos do not want to pay bills. That is highly unfortunate and we wish that the general public disregards such reportage.
We do believe that, it is either the Hon Minister was misled with the facts on the matter or he only sought to insult the peace-loving people of Kloma.
We are by this release calling on the Regional Minister to render an unqualified apology to the Chiefs and people of Krobo land and to also for him to immediately launch an independent investigation into the recent confusions over PDS billing system.
We call on the youth of the kroboland to stay calm while the appropriate stakeholders work to resolve the matter.
*LONG LIVE KROBOLAND*
*LONG LIVE GHANA*
THANK YOU
Signed:…………………………………………….
*DAVID WALTER HORMENU*
*(CONST. CHAIRMAN -LOWER MANYA KROBO)*
*0244866401*
SIGNED:……………………………………………….
*AGBO NARH*
*(CONST. CHAIRMAN – YILO KROBO)*
*0244856107*
*Cc: All Media Houses*
