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Work at the Ministries block in Cape Coast came to a standstill last Thursday when the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) disconnected power supply to the edifice.

Ten Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that occupy the Ministries block include the Audit Service, the Controller and Accountant-General, the Ghana Education Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Information Service and the Ghana News Agency.

Mr Anokye Abebrese, Central Regional Manager of ECG, told the GNA in an interview that the disconnection was as a result of the failure to settle the GH¢82,873 debt and the refusal of the agencies in the block to accept bills sent to them.

According to him, the total amount was an accrued sum of bills from January 2013 till date, after government's directive that all MDAs should pay their own utility bills.    

He explained that there was no need for a prior notice before the disconnection,  since the agencies had acted irresponsibly, adding that the ECG had written to the Regional Co-ordinating Council concerning the huge debt and the fact that there was the need to do rewiring of the place since the wires were weak.      

The GNA observed on Monday morning that workers in the affected agencies were idle, because the bulk of their work needed electricity to execute.      

Mr Kofi Dei, Regional Information Officer, lamented how the situation was affecting work, adding that they had to send their works to town for typing and printing.    

The Central Regional Co-ordinating Council has oversight responsibility over the Cape Coast Ministries' block, which is saddled with a myriad of problems, notable among them being its fast deteriorating structure due to its nearness to the sea.

The hundreds of workers who occupy the building have complained and written to the authorities concerned severally to have the building renovated, but to no avail.

The GNA observed that the cracks in the building, which was constructed in the early seventies but had never seen any renovations, have deepened, with some concretes hanging dangerously all around, whilst electrical and rusted iron rods were seriously exposed.