It has been over six months since Ghana was hit with a resurgence of chronic power outages. What started as short outages that gave hope for quick restoration turned into a nightmare for consumers. Calls have been made to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to provide a load-shedding timetable to help people plan their lives, but the response has been disappointing.
The Minister of Energy, Mathew Opoku Prempeh, responded to these calls in a disrespectful and unexpected manner, telling people to create their own timetable. The ECG, in collaboration with the Minister, has stated that there is no need for a timetable despite the ongoing challenges. They claim that the current power situation does not necessitate a load-shedding timetable.
Despite calls from the public, regulators like the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, the ECG remains adamant about not publishing a timetable. This lack of planning and responsiveness raises questions about their competency and motives.
The recent power cuts have had a detrimental impact on the economy, with businesses suffering losses due to perishable goods going bad during outages. One cold store operator had to empty her fridge because of the frequent outages, leading to financial losses. The situation is reminiscent of past experiences in Nigeria, where power outages were a common occurrence.
Citizens are demanding transparency and accountability from the ECG and the government. Living in darkness due to avoidable power outages is unacceptable, and the people deserve better. It is time to put politics aside and focus on addressing the issues affecting the energy sector in Ghana.
By Hellen Grace Akomah, Journalist
