Citizens Frustrated Over Rampant Power Crisis
Residents across the
length and breadth of the country are frustrated over the worsening situation
of power outages affecting lives, businesses, productivity and studies on the
part of tertiary students. There has been a unanimous outcry from the general populace
regarding this issue.
Cold store operators,
saloon shops, provision shop keepers, corn millers, internet café operators
amongst others are constantly being affected the power crisis. These small
scale businesses have constantly lamented about the effects of the recurring
power outage on the businesses to the media. Some are eager to hit the streets
for a demonstration exercise regarding this issue.
Cold store operators end
up losing their frozen meat since the optimum temperature required to preserve
meat and other produce is unavailable due to this rampant ‘dumsor’ generating a
foul smell in their produce, making it unhealthy for consumption and further
causing financial loss to them. Tertiary students who engage in online tuition
and are sometimes required to meet assignment submission deadlines end up
missing submission deadlines when their digital gadgets like mobile phones,
laptops and tablets run out of battery.
Some shop keepers who
sell carbonated drinks, sachet and bottled water, ice-blocks and other frozen
foods claim they solely depend on that as their source of income and livelihood
but there has been a drastic reduction in their daily sales due to the issue at
hand.
Due to the issue on
ground, calls have heightened for the removal of the energy minister, Dr.
Martin Opoku Prempeh. Quite a number of people have put out suggestions for a
‘DUMSOR’ timetable to know how to go about their daily activities.
In an interview with Dr.
Steve Manteaw, the chairman of Coalition of Stakeholders on Electricity
Contracts and Arrangements on News Central, he suggested that the government
prioritizes investments in national assets and possibly insulate Electricity
Company of Ghana(ECG) from governmental matters so it can be an interface for
consumers. Again, he cautioned the Public Utility Regulatory Commission and
Electricity Company of Ghana to be up and doing and find a lasting solution to
the problem.
Credit: BRIDGET ANTEH.