The government has allocated GH¢5 million to settle outstanding debts owed by Second Cycle institutions, according to sources within the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as reported by Citi News.
This decision comes after ECG’s national task force disconnected power to Accra Academy due to an unpaid debt of GH¢400,000.
The power cut left students in darkness, prompting them to resort to using torchlights for studying. In response, the Free SHS Secretariat has authorized the payment of these arrears.
However, despite these efforts, power has not yet been restored to Accra Academy, as confirmed by checks made by Citi News. A teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, mentioned that some teachers living on campus also experienced disconnection.
Notably, the teacher clarified that the school is not directly responsible for clearing the debt and lacks knowledge of the exact amount owed to the power company.
During an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show with Bernard Avle on Citi FM, Paul Agraga, the head of prosecution at ECG, elaborated on the disconnection, describing it as part of an ongoing initiative to recover outstanding payments.
Agraga emphasized that Accra Academy’s case is not singled out, stressing that numerous homes, businesses, and institutions have faced similar consequences due to unpaid bills.
He dismissed claims of deliberate targeting by ECG and emphasized that the company itself is in debt to its partners, which necessitates prompt payments.
According to Agraga, the disconnection policy applies universally without discrimination based on the entity’s stature, whether it’s Parliament or a security service, as non-payment results in disconnection.
