Power has finally been restored at the New Kejetia Market after almost a week of blackout following the disconnection of power supply to the facility by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Power to the market was disconnected following the failure to pay bills amounting to GH¢5.2 million.
Speaking to Citi News, the Managing Director of the facility, Kofi Duffour, explains the payment plan reached with ECG.
“We submitted a payment plan of 20 percent of the value within two months. So we gave a post-dated cheque to that effect. But the ECG said, looking at the amount involved, the plan is not good enough. So the plan is that, by the 15th of July, we should pay one month’s outstanding bill and then by the 31st of July, we pay another month’s arrears.”
Last week, there was a blackout at the market after officials from the ECG disconnected power to the facility.
This situation, was because the traders refused to pay their electricity bills for close to fourteen months after the management of the facility failed to provide each shop with a meter.
Leadership of the traders disclosed that following several engagements with the management of the facility and the Electricity Company of Ghana, the traders have made the commitment to pay the outstanding bills.
In 2021, the failure of the management of the facility to ensure the provision of meters for each shop forced the leadership of the traders to instruct their members not to pay any bills to the management.
This decision led to the disconnection of electricity supply to the shops.
The traders insisted that until each shop is provided with a personal meter, they are not going to pay any bill to the management.
About 7,200 shops at the facility were affected by the disconnection exercise.
For months, the traders, and the management of the facility have had disagreements over the payment of electricity bills.