Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the main campus of the Takoradi Polytechnic (T-Poly) has been disconnected from the national grid by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) due to outstanding arrears running into several hundreds of Ghana cedis.
The paper learnt that the disconnection, which was done on Monday, June 27, 2016, has affected a major part of the campus, including the main administration block and the various departments, leaving the two main halls of residence and the staff bungalows – which use prepaid meters.
Sources say the school’s authorities are seriously in negotiation with the ECG for the restoration of power to the institution.
Marwan Ansah, chairman of the Western Regional Senior Staff Union of the ECG, who confirmed the story to DAILY GUIDE, pointed out that the move was part of efforts to compel T-Poly to pay the amount it owes the company.
He declined to mention the amount the polytechnic owes ECG but stressed that the institution owes a significant amount of money.
Mr Marwan Ansah noted that in time past some institutions that owed the power supply company thought they could not be disconnected.
“Ideally, ECG is not supposed to do anything that could disrupt lectures at the various tertiary institutions. But we decided to embark on this revenue collection move at Takoradi Polytechnic because the students are on vacation,” he added.
He also confirmed that the polytechnic authorities were negotiating with the ECG to restore power adding, “They have been here twice to negotiate, but our focus is the money they owe and it’s incumbent on the authorities to pay for us to restore power.”
Marwan Ansah told DAILY GUIDE that information he received from his colleagues in Tarkwa indicated that the campus of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) had also been disconnected.
“But let me stress that even though we are disconnecting institutions that owe ECG, certain sensitive areas in some of the defaulting organizations would not be disconnected,” he said.
He mentioned some of the sensitive areas as the various wards at the hospitals and security zones (the various barracks).
“But those who do private business at the barracks and hospitals using our networks will be taken off,” he warned.
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