In recent months, the country has grappled with frequent power outages, commonly referred to as ‘dumsor’. While the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) attributes these disruptions to technical issues, there are dissenting voices, including the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), suggesting otherwise.
Amidst the worsening situation, Governance Expert Professor Baffuor Agyeman-Duah has urged the government to provide a schedule for power cuts, allowing Ghanaians to better plan their activities. He believes that the government’s response to resolving the power crisis has been lacking in proactivity.
During an appearance on TV3’s Ghana Tonight program on Monday, April 22, 2024, Professor Agyeman-Duah emphasized the need for the government to take immediate action to alleviate the situation, suggesting “The wise thing to do is to issue a timetable. The government hasn’t been too active in seeking solutions to problems,” he stated.
In March, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission instructed the Electricity Company of Ghana to provide a load management schedule by April 2, 2024.
Responding to this directive, ECG’s management reiterated that the power interruptions are due to technical issues and stated that they would not implement a formal load-shedding timetable.
As a consequence of this stance, the PURC levied fines totaling GH¢5.8 million against ECG board members for violations related to power cuts.