Residents Of Kumasi Angry Over Incessant Power Cuts

 

 

Residents in Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, are fuming at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) over frequent power outages.

 

According to the residents, their power goes off most evenings without any notice.

 

Although ECG is yet to respond to calls for comments, Asaase News gathers that high-level representatives of the main power transmitter for the southern sector of the country, Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), are expected to move to Kumasi to address the challenge.

 

A resident who believes the development means a return to power rationing was unhappy about the frequency of the power cuts.

 

“I can’t say it’s dumsor as they say, but the rate at which the power outage is going on is alarming. So, in fact, if there is any problem, the electricity company should let us know. And if even there could be a schedule [to warn] that there will be power outage at this time, so that people will prepare,” she said.

 

“But the rate at which the power is going off unexpectedly and coming back, it is destroying people’s items and all that. And if we are not careful it is going to create a lot of problems for people.”

 

Another Kumasi resident said: “I don’t think dumsor is back again. I believe they said they had a problem at Tema East, so the other day the whole of Ghana went off and there were no lights anywhere.

 

“So, I think ECG should be up and doing, because during the COVID we were able to use the light for free [but] now the government has said those things we used, they will add it to the tariff. So we are paying double.

 

“I believe they should give us some quality light so that people can use it to work and earn money and pay their light bill,” he said.

 

“Impossible to return to dumsor”

Meanwhile, Jonathan Amoako-Baah, the chief executive of Ghana Grid Company Ltd (GRIDCo), is assuring Ghanaians that the era of erratic power outages, locally known as dumsor, is over despite last week’s nationwide system shutdown.

 

He said the power system value chain in place now makes it “impossible” for dumsor to return to Ghana.

 

“Let me say this: Dumsor is not coming back,” Amoako-Baah declared. “Indeed, the nature of the power system value chain makes that impossible.

 

“As a crucial part of the entire value chain, overseeing matters on the transmission aspect of the process, GRIDCo wants to assure the country and all related stakeholders that none of the key participants in the value chain is resting on their oars, in an effort to maintain stability, accessibility, consistency and reliability of power supply at all times,” the GRIDCo boss said.

 

Source : Asaaseradio