MP expresses concern over growing power outages

Mr Williams Okofo-Dateh, the Member of Parliament for Jaman South in the Bono Region Monday raised concerns over the worsening power outages at Berekum, Dormaa, Drobo, Sampa, and several other communities in the constituency.

“It is sad to admit that dumsor [power outages] has not departed from us in the Bono Region since 2017 even when the whole country seems to be enjoying continuous power supply,” he said.

“If it is not a low current today, it is a total power outage tomorrow. The problem has been so persistent that it has become a norm.”

As a result, Mr Okofo-Dateh urged the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) to provide effective electrical services to the people.

“Authorities must wake up those sleeping on their job and push them to work,” he told the Ghana News Agency, adding stressed. “Enough of the regular maintenance, enough of the excuses.”

He asked that power be restored and maintained in the communities immediately, as the condition was impoverishing the people and making their lives miserable.

He said that the conduct of the two power entities was discouraging industrious Ghanaians and increasing their blood pressure by instilling hopelessness and despair.

The lawmaker noted the messages from GRIDCo and NEDCo warning over 700,000 people that power would be cut off for a few hours or days were not something one should be delighted in sending, “especially when it comes within a short time notice like a day or less, for the power to go out, leaving all the people helpless.”

Mr Okofo-Dateh said the poultry business, which was already struggling with high operating costs in maize, soya, vitamins, and other commodities, was now dealing with an additional challenge in the shape of surging fuel prices to power the mills that feed their chicks.

“This is simply because power producers have refused to provide us with the electricity that we pay for with our hard-earned money,” he said.

“The cashew company is not even a huge one,” he added, “employing hundreds of people in the region who work day and night to provide for themselves and the country.”

“All of the warehouses are dark, and staff are being told to remain home since they cannot operate at night without a light.”

The MP said hospitals were suffering, particularly St. Mary’s Hospital in Drobo, which had an extremely old and faulty backup generator.

He cautioned that the situation was driving sawmills out of business and driving up the price of wood products.

Meanwhile, GRIDCo had rejected media reports that it had planned 84 days of power interruptions in Accra to complete repairs on its transmission lines.

The company, in a statement, stated that while it was working on its transmission lines from Achimota to Mallam substations, “we wish to assure the public that the ongoing work would not result in any dumsor.”