Management of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company Limited (NEDCo) has apologized to its customers who were assaulted by officers from the Ghana Police Service during routine monitoring and power theft check operation in some suburbs of Tamale.
The incident which occurred on September 20, with videos circulating on social media, saw police officers manhandling some residents suspected to have engaged in illegal connections.
It has since received wide condemnation from the public, traditional authorities, and civil society organizations in the Northern Region.
Police personnel involved have also been interdicted pending investigations.
But in a statement on the incident signed by Maxwell K. Kotoka, Manager of Corporate Communications, and Customer Service at NEDCO, the company said it, “unreservedly apologise to those directly affected as well as our cherished customers, the people of Tamale and the general public.”
Below is the full statement from NEDCo
“The Management of NEDCo has seen very disturbing scenes from videos circulating on various social media of events that took place during what was meant to be routine monitoring and power theft check operation conducted by NEDCo with the support of the Ghana Police Service on Monday, September 20, 2021.
Though an isolated occurrence given that it is quite regular that NEDCo does such operations with Police support, NEDCo regrets the events of that day.
In so far as the operation was at the instance of NEDCo, we unreservedly apologize to those directly affected as well as our cherished customers, the people of Tamale and the General Public. We are in extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders not only to calm nerves but also, to ensure that the lessons learnt from this unfortunate incident manifest in all future operations.
To this end, steps are underway to drill down this apology through our revered chiefs and also, to reach those directly affected by the excesses to confer and sympathize with them appropriately.
Finally, we wish to explain that monitoring and power theft checks continue to be an inseparable part of our mandate and work as a power distributor, so we would have to discharge it diligently in the service of Ghana; as we do this, we wish to assure the general public that all the necessary and reasonable precautions will be taken to ensure that due process is adhered to and human rights, respected at all times It is our passionate appeal that you all support us in our quest to stem power theft to salvage NEDCo for it to continue supporting development in the operational area.
Once more, accept our unqualified apologies as we forge together as one people!”
