Armed Police personnel numbering over twenty (20) have been deployed to Poponya fantem, a farming community in Yilo Krobo District of the Eastern Region over an alleged attack on workers of Electricity Company of Ghana(ECG) and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL)
The armed Policemen stormed the community Saturday to rescue a worker of ECG allegedly held hostage on Friday.
Information gathered by Starr News indicates that workers of both ECG and GWCL have for the past three days been in the community to repair fault developed on some cables connected to the water pumping station affecting the operation of the Water Treatment plant at Bukunor. Power supply to the entire area was, therefore, switched off.
But according to the agitating community members, there was no announcement to the effect to enable them plan, adding what got them angry the fact that the ECG officials were refusing to restore power to the community after close of their daily work.
This triggered confrontation which led to road blockage by the residents demanding that power is restored before they will allow the ECG workers leave the community. In the heat, the workers sped off sensing danger but reportedly left behind a worker who was taken and kept in the Chief Palace till Saturday.
An aspiring Assembly Member in the area Freeman Ahliegbe told Starr News there is tension in the community following the arrival of the armed Police personnel alleging they have arrested and manhandled some of the agitating youth.
There is a long-standing feud between surrounding villages where water is pumped and treated in the Krobo area and GWCL for shortchanging them.
Residents incessantly and bitterly complained over government renege on its promise made to them in 2005 during the construction of the water treatment plant that they will benefit from the project but fourteen years down the line, they still drink polluted water.
The 38.5 million Euro Koforidua Water Supply project at Bukunor in the Yilo Krobo District was executed by the Kuffuor-led government in 2005. The Water treatment plant draw water from the Volta Lake 40 kilometres to Koforidua supplying millions of gallons of treated water Koforidua and Akyem Tafo area as well as other communities.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
