Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, is requesting the withdrawal of electricity bills issued to one of his private properties in Jachie, also situated within the region.

He alleges that the recent bill from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) was fraudulent, as it purportedly did not accurately reflect the reading on the meter.

Speaking at a press conference in Kumasi on April 25, he said “the actual reading on the meter as of yesterday was 23,498 units. The bill that they submitted which definitely the meter would have been read far earlier is 25,355 units a whopping difference of more than 1,900 units."

“I am asking ECG to withdraw, retract and apologise to me else I will do the needful to redeem my reputation," Mr Osei-Mensah said.

Following a disagreement between the electricity distribution company and the Minister, a staff member of the company has threatened to disconnect the Minister's residence if the debt remains unpaid.

This incident stems from a dispute that arose when a Regional manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) was arrested at the Minister's behest for disconnecting electricity to the Kumasi Technical University.

Mr. Osei Mensah asserts that the recent bill was fabricated to tarnish his reputation. Despite irregular billing from the company to his private property, he affirms that he consistently pays his bills on time.

As such he said, “I am also telling ECG to withdraw the fraudulent bill they have sent to me and bring the actual bill because I am responsible and I honour my obligation."

“They didn’t come to tell me to go and pay. On 2nd April, I paid GH₵1,600 because I know always it is less than even GH₵1,500. Most often less than GH₵1,000 because nobody stays there so it’s only light that I use except on a few occasions when I decide to visit my hometown.”

Background

This tension between the workers of the ECG and Mr Osei-Mensah comes after the Ashanti Regional Minister reported the Ashanti East General Manager, Ing. Michael Wiafe, to the police for refusing to reconnect power supply to the Kumasi Technical University after cutting supply to the school for owing GH₵600,000.00.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, April 16, PUWU stated that the university had been served with a notice demanding payment of their debt and outlining the consequences of not negotiating for payment.

The statement further revealed that the University's Vice Chancellor, Professor Dumor, engaged Ing. Wiafe to negotiate payment terms since they could not afford the 75 percent upfront payment required for re-connection.