Residents of the Sakumono Estates were compelled to control the use of electricity during the Christmas holidays because of the failure of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to credit them with the pre-paid metres.

Sources at the Tema ECG; office told the GNA that the problem was due to a communication failure which made it impossible for ECG computers at the Tema Central System to automatically process payments made by customers.

While some of the residents stayed in darkness because they had already consumed the emergency credit of ?7,800 provided by the ECG on the pre-paid metres, others watched their metres which kept on flashing the red light and turned off lights and some electrical appliances to save power.

The red lights on the pre-paid metre flash when one’s credit falls below ?10,000 and the emergency credit is activated by pressing a blue button on the meter when power goes off completely.

Many residents who came to the ECG cash office to find out what was happening, said that they bought power against the Christmas holidays as far back as December 20, but their purchases had still not reflected on their pre-paid metres as at early Thursday.

Miss Odette Kpodoe, an angry one among them, demanded that the ECG should revert to the old system if it was not ready for the new technology it had introduced.

The situation was good relief for neighbours of the noisiest residents, whose sound systems remained silent, but it was an embarrassment to others who thought that their image was dented since it created the impression that they could not afford to buy power.

Mr Charles Nii Okai, another resident, said: “ECG was chasing customers to settle bills but with the current situation, it looks as if we are going to pay in advance and rather chase the ECG to give us power, if the problem occur often”.

An ECG source said that the problem, which began on December 24, was due to the failure of one of its radios but added that the problem had been solved and appealed to the residents to be patient since ECG had started crediting them with the amount paid.

ECG installed 3000 Zytec Money-Link pre-paid metres at Sakumono Estate in mid-October and was expected to cover communities 15, 18, 19, 20 and 21.