Residents of Talenteng and surrounding communities in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region on Monday, August 24, 2026, reportedly resisted a disconnection exercise by the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), demanding answers over persistent power outages affecting the area.
The incident has since triggered debate over whether it was appropriate for NEDCo to embark on a revenue mobilisation and disconnection exercise while residents continue to grapple with what they describe as frequent and disruptive power interruptions.
The Talensi Constituency Communications Officer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yinwonba Yinnamaltiman Emmanuel, has backed the residents’ action, describing their response as a legitimate expression of frustration over what he considers an unfair situation.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s News Link, Mr. Yinwonba said residents became agitated when they encountered the NEDCo officials and questioned why the company was pursuing disconnections without first addressing the persistent outages.
“When residents are complaining about this incident of frequent power outages, you [NEDCo] came from nowhere to do a disconnection without telling us what you are going to do to salvage us from the current problem.”
He said the residents’ reaction was spontaneous rather than pre-planned, with community members gathering to prevent the exercise from proceeding.
“People gathered. It wasn’t even a planned thing, but the moment they saw NEDCo officials, they were angry, so everyone came out and stopped them.”
According to Mr. Yinwonba, the residents demanded that NEDCo first explain the cause of the recurring outages and outline measures being taken to resolve the problem.
He said the situation escalated after the police were called to the scene, but the residents remained firm in their demand for answers.
Mr. Yinwonba said the residents subsequently proceeded to the Talensi District Assembly, where they met the District Chief Executive and received assurances concerning their concerns.
The NPP Communications Officer said the residents’ frustration was understandable, particularly because the unreliable electricity supply is affecting livelihoods and businesses in the area.
He argued that residents who depend on electricity for their businesses should not be expected to endure persistent outages while also facing disconnection threats without clear communication about the underlying problem.
The NPP in Talensi has subsequently issued a one-week ultimatum to the NDC government, NEDCo and the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) to provide a clear explanation for the recurring outages and measures being taken to resolve them.
According to the party, the unstable power supply is affecting cold-store operators, drinking spots, barbers and other small businesses whose operations depend heavily on electricity.
Mr. Yinwonba said the party would continue to champion the concerns of residents but insisted that any further action would be pursued within the confines of the law.
“The NPP in Talenteng will not sit aloof and allow the current government to make a hell out of our lives. We won’t do that. We are ever ready to sacrifice ourselves for the betterment of Talenteng.”
He said the party had already mapped out its next course of action and would pursue it lawfully to press for answers to the electricity challenges confronting residents.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the growing frustration among residents over the recurring power outages and their impact on economic activity in Talenteng and surrounding communities.
For the affected residents, the immediate demand is for NEDCo and GRIDCo to explain the cause of the outages, provide clear information on the situation and offer a credible timeline for restoring reliable electricity supply.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com|102.7 MHz| David Azure| Talensi
