Ketu South residents protest alleged overbilling by ECG; petition MCE

Residents and electricity consumers in the Ketu South Municipality have taken to the streets to protest what they describe as persistent overbilling, inaccurate electricity bills and unfair treatment by officials of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

The protesters carried placards bearing messages including “ECG, Give Us Accurate Bills!”, “ECG, You Can’t Do Without Your Consumers, Why This Arrogance?” and “The Manager Must Go!” as they expressed frustration over electricity bills they claim do not correspond with their actual consumption.

The demonstration was led by Edem Viglo and Napoleon Gbeti, who served as spokespersons for the protesters and read a statement calling on ECG to address their concerns.

“ECG has been issuing inaccurate bills and must ensure consumers receive accurate, transparent and verifiable electricity bills,” the statement said.

The protesters also questioned the conduct of some ECG officials, insisting that consumers deserved to be treated with respect and have their concerns properly addressed.

“ECG depends on its customers for survival and must therefore treat them with respect and listen to their concerns,” the statement added.

Following the protest, Mr Viglo and Mr Gbeti presented a petition to the Volta Regional Manager of ECG, Madam Jatoe-Kaleo Christina, on behalf of consumers in the ECG Denu District.

The petition called for a review of disputed bills and emphasised that “electricity consumers deserve fairness, accountability and transparency.”

The residents said their concerns dated back five years, when they first demonstrated under the previous NPP administration but received no lasting resolution.

They said another demonstration was scheduled for September 11, 2025, under the current NDC administration, but was suspended after ECG appealed to traditional leaders to intervene.

The protesters said the chiefs subsequently intervened in the interest of peace and dialogue.

“Our chiefs, being fathers of the land and committed to peace, listened to ECG. They intervened because they believed that dialogue could bring an end to the problem,” they said.

However, according to the residents, almost a year after the intervention, the problem remains unresolved, prompting some traditional leaders to join the latest protest.

The protesters said they had also pursued the matter through other legitimate channels, including engaging their Member of Parliament, who facilitated a meeting with the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor.

They said the Minister subsequently dispatched a team of experts from the Energy Commission to assess the situation and investigate the complaints.

“They came, they assessed the situation, they did their work, and a report was produced. That report is now on the table of the Honourable Minister and we have a copy of that report with us,” the statement said.

The residents questioned why no action had been taken despite the report and their continued appeals.

They also appealed to the Municipal Chief Executive to intervene, arguing that he understood the difficulties associated with electricity overbilling.

“You are not a stranger to this problem. You have personally experienced the pain of electricity overbilling,” they said.

They added, “you know the frustration, you know the economic pressure,” and appealed to the MCE to use his office and influence to help resolve the matter.

“We are not here because we enjoy demonstrations. We are here because the suffering of our people has reached a point where silence is no longer an option,” they stated.

The protesters further highlighted the economic burden they claimed the disputed bills had placed on households and businesses.

“A trader makes a profit, and ECG takes a significant portion of it. A parent receives an income, and the electricity bill is waiting,” they said.

According to them, the rising cost of electricity was leaving households with little money for development, investment and education.

While acknowledging the government's efforts to improve the economy, the protesters said the benefits of those efforts should also be felt in Ketu South.

“Ketu South must also enjoy those gains,” they stressed.

They clarified that their demands were not for free electricity or preferential treatment.

“We are not asking for free electricity. We are asking to pay for what we actually consume. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for fairness,” they said.

The residents also appealed directly to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene in the matter.

“Mr. President, please come to our rescue. We are your children. The people of Ketu South are part of the Ghana you lead,” they pleaded.

They urged the President to review the expert report and direct the relevant institutions to take action.

The protesters stressed that their demonstration should not be interpreted as an attack on the government or the NDC.

“This is not an attack on the NDC. It is not an attack on the President. It is not an attack on our MCE. It is not an attack on ECG workers. It is a cry from ordinary citizens who want to live and work with dignity,” they stated.

They ended the protest with a call for urgent action, declaring: “Enough is Enough! We want a solution now!”

The residents are demanding accurate meter readings, fair and transparent billing, accountability from ECG officials and respect for traditional authorities as efforts continue to resolve the dispute.