From all the to and fro about the recent power outages in Ghana nicknamed 'Dumsor' (off/on), I have gathered that there are several causes to this huge national problem. Decrease in the water level that power's the Akosombo Dam, lack of natural gas, the inactive Bui Dam, damage of several power machines at the Asogli Power Plant, indebtedness of Electricity Company of Ghana among others have said to be causes of the current power crisis. As a result, Ghana is undergoing the load shedding exercise which allows some people to enjoy power for only 6 hours and others, 12 hours in a day.
Like most Ghanaian people will always nickname almost everything whether its a serious issue at stake or not, Dumsor has just found its way into Wikipedia and Google Play Store. The whole world seem to be informed about the situation in Ghana and its nickname, thus calling for the international media to have keen interest in every step that is taken by government, opposition parties and Ghanaians in general.
As for the problems Dumsor is causing, it can be compared to that of what the several coups after independence have caused this country. Companies are experiencing low productivity thus laying workers off, the small printing and photocopy shop across the street is unable to work smoothly thus a drastic reduction in profit, the cold store woman at Madina market is in debt because all her frozen fish and meat is spoilt. These and other numerous problems is what Dumsor is causing to businesses and individuals across the length and breadth of Ghana.
In this piece, I will like to share my idea on an aspect of why Ghana is having Dumsor which is as a result of the hypocrisy and attitude of the Ghanaian people. The situation can be compared to the saying, 'you cannot eat your cake and have it'. Ghanaians have within a very long time taken time to eat their cake without thinking about its consequences and now have grown so wild searching for it. Out of all the reasons why Ghana is having power crisis, the indebtedness of ECG is one of the main causes. So one will ask, why is ECG owing? ECG is owing because Ghanaians are owing ECG. From my point of view, one of the most lawless countries in the world is Ghana. Ghana and its people find it so difficult to abide by even the most simplest laws, rules and regulations. Yes, it is somewhat true that human beings in general are not good at abiding by laws but that of Ghana is just way above the bar. The worse of it is those who are suppose to see to it that people abide or do what is expected of them. They are either bribed off or are not doing the job at all. Out of the total power usage in Ghana, commercial usage consisting of companies, public and private institution constitute about 20% whiles individual Ghanaians usage constitute the rest 80%.
From reports coming from ECG, both commercial and individual users are owing them huge sums of money. So the question is how can ECG pay its debts when the same people demanding for power are owing them? ECG claims almost all the ministries, government departments and agencies have refused to pay their electricity bills appropriately. Also, individuals who uses electricity in their various homes are refusing to pay their electricity bills well. A lot of activities are constituting to this and typical among them is illegal electricity connections especially in very congested communities like Ashaiman, Nima, Newtown, Alajo, Kotobabi, Kokomba market, etc. I have personally been to these areas and the level at which illegal electricity are connected is just way too inappropriate. If one person gets the opportunity to legally acquire electricity connection from the ECG, 1001 neighbours around will tap the power. These people have ways of manipulating the system to the extent that their connections cannot be documented in the machines of the ECG. These people use fridges, tv sets and several equipment that adds to the debts of ECG. One funny occurrence is that no ECG official dares to go into these areas to demand for the right thing to be done. Anyone who dares will be beaten like a criminal so for such fear, officials of the ECG turn to ignore these activities though knowing.
Other individuals who are legally connected to electricity too refuse to pay their electricity bills. Those who try to pay too do so at their own time and when the ECG comes to disconnect the lights, as soon as they step their foot away, re-connection is done by the people themselves. Then again ECG does not have a machines that detects self re-connections so it takes time for them to realize what has been done in their absence.
The claim by the ECG that government institutions are owing them is also a huge problem. Looking at the bureaucratic nature of Ghana's system, ECG have little or no action to take against government institutions owing them because when they try to effect disconnection, officials who work there will not allow but rather suggest to talk to ECG on the grounds that they are all working for the same government. This then makes it difficult for ECG to take the necessary action that will enable them retrieve monies owed them.
I may not be able to tell how much money ECG is loosing in this menace but deducing from all these inappropriate activity by the individual Ghanaian, we can all testify that the ECG is loosing much money which is not enabling them to pay their debts for electricity to be sold to them, thus sell to Ghanaians as well.
Yes indeed, we have eaten our cake and cannot have it. So in as much as we demand for power, blame government and all that, we should not forget that we are part of the problem.
Thanks for reading. Its another Reality from my Medulla Oblogata. Your sincere comments, contributions and criticisms are warmly welcomed. Don't forget no one can build Ghana except us!!!
