2 Ho health facilities to operate without electricity - Face disconnections by ECG
Power disconnection by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), is imminent at two major health facilities in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, over huge debt owed the ECG in electricity bills.
Advertisement
Both the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) and the Ho Municipal Hospital (HMH) have been put on a tight deadline to settle their ECG debt or face disconnections by today, April 3, 2023.
The disconnection exercise could affect the facilities' ability to perform critical medical procedures that require electricity.
A disconnection notice dated March 27, 2023 and signed by the acting General Manager, ECG, Michael Buabin, directed the two customers "to settle all arrears within six working days or your facility will be disconnected on Monday, April 3, 2023."
The HTH has an accumulated debt of GH¢1,419,926.23 owed the ECG, while the HMH owes GH¢415,373.95.
Despite an earlier payment of GH¢40,000 by the HTH on March 23, 2023, the payment, according to the ECG, was contrary to the payment agreement of the initial debt.
Challenges
The imminent disconnection could reduce the facilities' ability to store and properly refrigerate medication and other medical supplies which could affect their efficacy and put patients at risk.
The situation could also result in the evacuation of patients to other facilities, putting more strain on medical staff and resources and a potential loss of lives due to the inability to respond to medical emergencies and crises quickly and effectively.
Other Trending Stories
The ECG's disconnection notice was issued in "accordance with PURC regulation LI 2413. 37 sub regulation (2), which states that "a public utility that seeks to disconnect a service under paragraphs (b) and (c) of sub regulation (1) shall give the consumer written notice of disconnection at least three working days before disconnecting the service."
The exercise forms part of an ongoing nationwide effort of the ECG to mobilise revenue and retrieve GH¢5.7 billion debt owed the company nationwide.
Some customers of the ECG in the Volta Region including the Ghana Revenue Authority, Fast Food restaurant, KFC, the Ho Airport among others are some of the companies affected by the exercise.