The state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and Kumasi International Airport are likely to be plunged into total darkness effective Wednesday, October 20, should they fail to settle their debt with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
This comes after the ECG notified some state institutions in the Ashanti Region that their power supply will be cut as part of their nationwide operation dubbed ‘Collect or Correct.’
The exercise is aimed at cleaning ECG’s debt data as well as recovering monies that customers owe the power service provider.
In an interview with Asaaseradio, ECG’s Ashanti Regional Managing Director, David Asamoah, said the exercise will help the company recover about ¢1 billion in debt.
According to him, it will help “serve Asanteman better”.
“At the moment, people have even paid for services and things we are unable to provide because we also owe our creditors. So we need to be able to find money to pay them,” Mr Asamoah said.
The Managing Director further explained that the Ashanti Regional GBC office owes ECG almost GH₵2 million and Kumasi Kejetia Market owes ¢2.1 million of the total debt.
A week ago, the Kejetia Market experienced a power outage over its five-month unpaid power service debt.
However, power was restored after an intervention by the newly elected city mayor, Sam Pyne.
Mr Asamoah revealed that about ¢2.1 million in debt will be cleared on Tuesday, October 19.
“The good news is that, after disconnecting them last week, we negotiated, and they have issued a cheque for us for tomorrow [Tuesday]. So, for them, at least we have an assurance that there is going to be payment,” he said.
He subsequently advised patrons of ECG to pay monies they owe to avoid disconnection.