Clash Over Electricity Tariffs - Boy Shot Dead, Others Injured At Agormanya

By David Kodjo And Odumase Krobo.

A 14-year-old boy, was shot dead while scores have been injured in a clash between the people of Lower Manya Krobo municipality on one hand and personnel of Ghana Police Service and the Power Distribution Service (PDS) on the other hand, following a misunderstanding over payment of electricity tariffs.

The boy, a sachet water seller, was struck down by a bullet some metres from the scene of the protest, at Agormanya, in the Eastern Region.

The critically injured persons, including an 18-year-old girl, have been rushed to the Agormanya Saint Martin Hospital for treatment.

Most of the injuries were from gunshot wounds in a melee between stone-throwing residents and gun-wielding policemen.

Residents of the Lower Manya Krobo of the Eastern Region have been fighting power suppliers since 2017, over what they described as high electricity bills.

The clash yesterday, was second of its kind as the police came face to face with some residents on Monday, and pelted stones at the police and personnel of PDS while doing the disconnection at Manya Kpongunor.

Wednesday's incident started after PDS officials in the company of police officers disconnected power to a community in Yohe.

Within minutes, angry youth, mainly residents of Agormanya, came onto the streets and spontaneously marched towards the office of the Municipal Chief Executive.

An eyewitness said they threw stones and were met with a police force that fired guns to disperse scores of people.

The Eastern Regional PRO of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ebenezer Tetteh, said at about 10am yesterday, officials of PDS continued with the mass disconnection exercise at Yohe, a suburb of Odumase Krobo, to switch off the main transformer serving the entire Krobo enclave for their refusal to pay electricity bills

He said the team met a mob of irate youths, who blocked the road with blocks and firewood, and set ablaze lorry tires in the middle of the road, in an attempt to stop the exercise while pelting stones at the police.

However, he said the police succeeded in assisting to switch off the main transformer.

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