Revamped Ayensu Starch Factory to be disconnected from electricity

Ayensu Starch factoryPublic Utilities Workers Union (PUWC) in the Central Region is set to storm the revamped Ayensu Starch Factory to disconnect electricity supply due to debts.

Workers say they have been informed by the mother Union of the company’s debt and they will soon storm the factory to disconnect the power.

The Central Region PUWC embarked on mass electricity disconnection exercise, cutting supply to several state agencies including the newly built Cape Coast Sports Stadium for owing GH¢71,9792.56.

Cape Coast Polytechnic owes GHc 1,017,542.04 while the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly owes GHc83,267.50 and they were all disconnected from the national grid.

The revamped Ayensu Starch Factory even though has worked for less than a week is indebted to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and as such, the PUWC is planning to disconnect power supply anytime soon.

Speaking on Onua FM’s Yen Sempa, about the mass disconnection, the Cape Coast Regional Branch Chairman of the PUWC, Seth Birikorang, explained that the revamped Ayensu Starch Factory which is under a public-private partnership, located at Bawjiase in the Central Region falls under Kasoa District and they are planning to disconnect the factory.

He explained that the team undertaking the disconnection exercises is based in the district and those in charge of Kasoa District “will go and disconnect them”.

Power to embark on disconnection

Mr. Birikorang said the PUWC have been given the power to embark on the disconnection exercise and as such no state agency would be spared in the exercise.

He explained that they have penciled several state agencies in the Region who are indebted to the ECG and they are ready to embark on operation to disconnect them.

The PUWC Chairman does not understand why ordinary Ghanaian who uses electricity is paying huge sums of money but the government agencies should default in payment of its electricity bills.

Pressure to halt disconnection

Mr. Birikorang said the moment the mass disconnection exercise started on Monday June 27, 2016, “pressure has been mounted on our heads to halt the operations”. He said “there is pressure from some government officials to halt the exercise but some government officials says we should go ahead with the disconnections”.

The PUWC Chairman revealed that government gives instructions openly and give counter instructions behind the people and that has been their challenge.

 

By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|Onua Fm|3news.com

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