The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) has cut off power supply to five health facilities in the Bono East Region as part of its debts recovery exercise in the company’s Techiman Operational Area.

The Techiman Operational Area covers the entire Bono East, parts of Ashanti, Bono, Savanna and Northern Volta regions.

The health facilities comprised the Kintampo Health Research Centre in the Kintampo North Municipality, the Saint Theresa Catholic Hospital and the Nkoranza Health Centre at Nkoranza and Nkoranza South municipalities, the Badu Hospital in the Tain District and the Tain District Hospital at Nsawkaw.

Mr John Mumuni Tayari, the Techiman Area NEDCo Manager and leader of the team, bemoaned the unwillingness of power users to pay their bills.

He told the media that power users in the entire area owed about GH¢106,790,230.79 as of February 2023. Residential consumers owed GH¢50,463,322.35, non-residential consumers; GH¢47,288,896.01, while municipal and district assemblies owed GH¢38,276,844.24. Special Load Tariffs accrued a debt of GH¢9,038,012.43.

Mr Tayari said though those health facilities provided essential services to the public, it was also considered that without power they would not be able to work, hence the need to pay for the power used to provide those services.

He said it was not the wish of the company to cut off power to consumers, but it was the only way to recover the debts to enable the company to also service its debts with other stakeholders and partners.

He urged power users to take steps to negotiate for a plan with the company on debt settlement.