The Northern Electricity Distribution Company‘s (NEDCo) corporate communications manager, Maxwell Kotoka, explained the company’s decision to cease providing power to the St. Anne’s Hospital in Damongo due to a GH4.8 million debt.
Mr. Kotoka in an interview he disclosed that the Hospital disregarded the notice given to facilities under NEDCo’s jurisdiction and showed no commitment when a disconnection exercise was announced.
He said the management of the hospital could have had an arrangement with the power company when they knew they couldn’t honour the debt on time, but they didn’t do so.
“Needing the power which is so critical to their operation, where they have challenges, they should have engaged us, but they didn’t do that. And I heard them say that they owe GH¢4 million, they actually owe us GH¢4.8 million, and before we embarked on the disconnection, we made a public announcement that we were coming and said if you have any difficulty, you should take advantage of the notice before we get there,” Mr. Kotoka said.
Two babies died at the hospital leaving three more in critical condition on Monday, May 22 as a result of the power cut.
Mr. Kotoka disclosed that NEDCo is open to engagements to find a lasting solution so that power can be restored to the Hospital.
“The hospital will testify that when we even came to disconnect, the disconnection wasn’t our best option, we wanted to engage on what we can do or what will be done about the continuous debt, but that didn’t yield results and so if there is a discussion on how to address this critical issue, why not?”