The Kejetia Market in Kumasi is expected to settle its debt owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) by September 16, 2024, premised on a scheduled repayment plan.
The facility was plunged into darkness for three days after management failed to go by the payment plan.
However, after negotiations with the power distributor to offset the over 7 million debt, the market management is expected to be consistent in the scheduled payments in the coming weeks.
Public Relations Officer for ECG-Ashanti West, Benjamin Obeng Antwi, said in an interview with David Akuetteh on Luv FM.
“By August 30 if they pay GH₵200,000 we will expect them to pay another GH₵273,000 by September 6. On 10th September, we will expect another payment which is the legacy debt. The payment plan includes the May and June bills and the debt. They are supposed to finish paying by 16th September with the exception of the July bill,” he said.
On providing separate meters for the thousands of shops at the facility, Mr Owusu Antwi explained why the proposed agreement stalled.
“A year or two ago we had a stakeholder meeting with them to ensure we give each shop a separate meter. And when we did the engineering checks, we realised they must separate the shops from the bulk meter.
“We also advised them to separate the generator from the meter else when they switch it on, that will also read into the main meter. We engaged them and gave them that advice. We were expecting feedback but we never heard from them and that stalled the project,” he added.
At the beginning of the year, management of the Kejetia Market procured over 1,000 single meters to be used by each shop to facilitate the measurement of individual electricity consumption.
But the purchase of the meters by shop owners has seen a drastic decline with a significant number of the meters still in stock.
Managing Director of the Kumasi City Markets, Edmond Kofi Duffuor indicated that the traders claim to be overburdened by the debts and exorbitant cost of the new meters, hence their reluctance to purchase their separate meters.
“The traders are complaining the meters are expensive and already they are burdened by their outstanding bills. So, if they are able to pay up the debts, then hopefully everyone can get their meters,” he said.
Source: Myjoyonline
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