Enough is enough - V/R minister slams ECG over persistent power outages

Volta Regional Minister James Gunu is frustrated with ongoing power outages. These outages and low voltage are affecting communities and businesses in the region.

He described the performance of ECG as a “complete disappointment.” He called for immediate, transparent communication and greater accountability.

“Whatever the challenges are, let us know,” he insisted. “There must be regular communication with the people.”

He added that residents need to be informed about power cuts. This way, they can prepare and protect their appliances from damage.

His comments reflect growing public discontent. Residents and business owners are suffering losses due to unannounced power cuts. The Minister urged ECG to improve its standards and engage better with the public.

“You are disappointing the people of this region,” he said. He questioned what crime they had committed to deserve this situation.

In response, ECG’s Volta Regional Manager Christina Jatoe-Kaleo acknowledged the challenges. She assured the public that efforts were underway to resolve the crisis. She attributed many issues to limitations within GRIDCo's electricity transmission network.

“If what they give us is already low, it’s insufficient by the time it reaches you,” she explained. “ECG cannot do much in such cases.”

She noted that discussions with GRIDCo have been ongoing all week. When GRIDCo has issues, ECG also faces problems.

Ms Jatoe-Kaleo clarified that planned outages are announced legally by ECG. Unplanned interruptions occur due to technical faults or system trips, especially at night. She reassured the Minister that ECG has a 24-hour technical response team working on repairs.

“We always inform media and local assemblies about planned outages,” she said. “But faults are unpredictable.”

She emphasized that engineers are constantly in the field resolving issues as they arise. Additionally, she mentioned internal initiatives for training programs to build technical capacity.

Improved collaboration between ECG, GRIDCo, and government stakeholders is also important, according to her. If there are matters beyond their control, they escalate them to superiors in Accra for support.

Despite these assurances, Minister Gunu expressed dissatisfaction with current conditions. He warned that downplaying outage effects would increase public suspicion and resentment.

“We’ve written to you before,” he stated, addressing ECG directly. “I know you’ll say you didn’t receive it; that's why I’m here in person.”

Recently, ECG has faced controversies over missing equipment at Tema Port. Over a thousand containers of imported supplies have reportedly gone missing.