Minister Tells Residents To Sleep In Darkness If They Can’t Pay Bills

The Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfuor, has asked rioting residents of Lower Manya Krobo to disconnect themselves from the national grid if they cannot pay electricity bills.

The Regional Minister said residents must be ready to pay electricity bills presented to them by Power Distribution Services (PDS) or get off the national grid.

“People in Krobo if you feel you cannot pay for electricity bill cut it off. It is optional. The only thing that is universally free is free SHS not electricity bill. Fuel has never been free,” he said.

The Regional Minister said this Thursday during a stakeholder meeting jointly held by the Eastern Regional Security Council and Municipal Security Council at Odumase Krobo following a clash between residents and police officers.

He also charged security personnel deployed to the area to arrest members of a group known as the United Krobo Foundation which he accuses of fueling the conflict.

Mr. Darfuor said the group must face the law.

“Some people call themselves United Krobo Foundation – complete illegality and they collect fees, amass wealth and use the fees to disturb the peace in the Krobo land. I am charging the security agencies to round them up. They should be rounded up so they face the law.”

The Police have arrested 35 people following four days of unrest in the Municipality over the disconnection exercise by PDS.

Currently, 100 police personnel drawn from the National Formed Police Unit in Accra, Rapid Deployment Force and the Counter Terrorism Unit together with men from the Eastern Regional Command are carrying out patrols in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality using anti-riot equipment.

One person has been confirmed dead after residents attacked a police team providing protection to the Municipal Assembly Office on Wednesday afternoon.

—citinewsroom