THE CUSTODIAN has obtained a notice of an imminent litigation from lawyers of residents of Koblimahagu in the Tamale metropolis against the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).
The plaintiffs believe they have been unjustifiably disconnected from the national grid due to an altercation between the electricity distribution company and a particular household in the community.
The representatives of the community are: Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan, Imam of the community, Sulemana Mahamadu, an opinion leader, Mohammed Ahmed, Assemblyman and Mohammed Wumpini another opinion leader.
The solicitor of the disgruntled residents, Mohammed Alhassan, Esq. said, “There is an existing contract between NEDCo and the community members respecting power supply, consumption and payment. Either party to the contract is required to honour obligation and enforce rights thereunder”.
Therefore, the disconnection under the present circumstance is a clear breach of the contract alluded to in paragraph 5 herein as same was unwarranted.
He indicated substantial financial losses and inconvenience had been visited on our clients by your collective punishment enterprise, adding, cold stores operators have suffered losses.
“Entrepreneurs relying on power to do business have been rendered unemployed and so, were filling stations operators”.
The plaintiffs therefore demand the immediate restoration of power to the community and hope NEDCo would do the needful to avoid marring the cordial relationship between them and the power distribution company.
“Non-erring members of the community do not deserve the hardship they are enduring by reason of the disconnection”.
The solicitor intimated, “Our instructions are that your field staff had a confrontation/altercation with occupants of a room in a particular house in the Koblimahigu community and, the said house is about 500-600 meters away from the transformer serving the community.
“By reason of the confrontation and or altercation your company decided to collectively punish members of the community. This was done on the 9th March, 2022 by putting off and or disabling the transformer serving the community thereby, effectively disconnecting power to the residents of the community who number more 3,300. The houses are 321”.
The plaintiffs maintained that this act of collective punishment is not only unconstitutional but against the standard practice relating to customers and service providers, such as the NEDCo collective punishment is alien to Ghana’s jurisprudence and aspirations.
Below is the full statement:
