The leadership of the Volta River Authority/Northern Electricity Distribution Company (VRA/NEDCo) staff groups in the Northern Area has announced the immediate withdrawal of all field services in the Tamale Metropolis and its environs.
The decision, according to the staff leadership, follows the assault of some VRA/NEDCo staff on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, by a group of youth in Tamale.
The incident reportedly occurred when staff driving official vehicles were stopped, dragged out, and beaten with clubs and sticks. The vehicles were subsequently seized and parked at the Gukpena Palace.
In a resolution passed at an emergency meeting in Tamale on Thursday, July 31, 2025, the staff leadership described the attack as “barbaric” and said it had put the lives of workers and company property at risk.
They also noted that the latest incident adds to a series of similar violent attacks on VRA/NEDCo personnel over the years, including:
– The assault of staff at Lamakara in 2016 while working with police to address illegal power reconnections.
– The assault and deflation of company vehicle tyres at Dohinayilli in 2017.
– The vandalization of the VRA/NEDCo office by youth in Tamale in 2015.
– The assault of staff at Vittin in 2019 while disconnecting illegally installed streetlights.
The staff leadership is thus demanding that:
1. Management and law enforcement identify and prosecute the perpetrators.
2. An explanation be given as to why staff carrying out legitimate duties were violently attacked.
3. Firm assurances of safety and protection for all VRA/NEDCo personnel and property be provided by stakeholders.
4. Security agencies retrieve the seized vehicles from the Gukpena Palace.
The statement stressed that although staff will continue to report to the office, they will not engage in any fieldwork until their safety is guaranteed.
“We believe our lives are under threat and we do not feel safe going out to work,” the statement read.
