The Public Utilities Regulatory Union (PUWU), has directed workers at the Somanya branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana to vacate their post following recent violent attacks against the company by some residents.
PUWU said the workers must only return to work if the chiefs and people of Somanya assure them of their safety and also apologize for their violent conduct in a written letter.
[contextly_sidebar id=”magn9Zs37NlXJsz0Zn5Lyv07rJ3nTKsT”]The General Secretary of PUWU, Michael Adummatta Nyantakyi, in a statement copied to citifmonline.com, said the Union is disgusted about the silence of the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko on the matter.
“ECG staff at Somanya have been advised to withdraw from their duty post due to the threat of further attacks and the presence of imminent and serious danger to their lives, safety and health in accordance with Section 119 of the Labour Act, Act 2003.
The staff will only return when assurances of safety have been received from the chiefs and people of Somanya, and apology rendered for the unfortunate incident which took place.”
“The meeting took notice of the fact that, the Minister of Energy has failed or refused to condemn the mob attack on the ECG office in his native land more than a week after the incident.”
Hundreds of angry residents in the town took over the offices of the Electricity Company of Ghana, and vandalized parts of the building, after demonstrating over what they describe as outrageous electricity bills.
Following the incident, the police arrested one lead suspect which angered the residents and caused them to launch an attack on the police, vandalizing its property and burning one of its vehicles.
Although the police have made some more arrests in connection with the incident, PUWU insists ECG workers in the area are not safe.
While accusing the Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko for fueling the attack with his recent statement which criticized the ECG’s billing system, it commended the Police for swiftly arresting persons behind the attack, noting that the action will serve as a deterrent to others who may want to use crude methods such as mob attacks on ECG staff to have their complaints addressed.
–
By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana