By Daniel Bampoe
A growing chorus of National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament has intensified pressure on the government over the worsening electricity crisis, commonly referred to as dumsor, decrying its crippling impact on education, healthcare, and small businesses across the country.
During a tense meeting with the Energy Committee and key power sector agencies, MPs Albert Tetteh Nyarkotey (Yilo Krobo), Yao Gomado (Akan), and Richard Kwami Sefe (Anlo) voiced frustration over what they described as an “alarming deterioration” of electricity supply in their constituencies and a failure of leadership in managing the crisis.
Hospitals and Universities Plunged into Darkness
The Yilo Krobo MP, Albert Tetteh Nyarkotey, representing Yilo Krobo and the only Krobo lawmaker on the committee, lamented that prolonged outages—often lasting two to three days—have left hospitals, universities, and schools in his constituency unable to operate effectively.
“It’s a dire situation. We have medical facilities that go dark for days, risking patient lives, and universities that can’t function,” Nyarkotey said.
He pledged to use his position on the committee to press for concrete solutions, noting that the unique challenges in the Krobo area have long been neglected despite repeated appeals.
“Ghost” Businesses
In similar tones, Yao Gomado, MP for Akan in the Oti Region, described erratic and unpredictable power supply patterns that he says have devastated commerce in his constituency.
“In some areas, you might have power for just an hour. Then it’s off and on repeatedly, especially at night. It’s hard to describe how frustrating that is for businesses and households,” he explained.
He particularly empathized with cold store operators who are struggling to keep perishable goods fresh amid the fluctuating supply.
“Products are going bad, livelihoods are collapsing. The ripple effects are enormous,” he said.
Phase Imbalances and Technical Failures
MP, Richard Kwami Sefe highlighted a more technical but equally troubling pattern in the Anlo area.
According to him, inconsistent phase connections often lead to uneven power distribution between neighbouring homes.
“Your house may have light, but the one next to you doesn’t. It’s a systemic issue. The line trips every few hours, and it’s been ongoing with no clear timeline for resolution,” he said.
Government Under Pressure
The NDC MPs’ outcry comes at a time when the Ministry of Energy is battling to prevent a full-blown blackout crisis.
The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor recently told Parliament that Ghana’s fuel reserves for power generation would last only 2.6 days unless GHS 1.1 billion is urgently secured to purchase liquid fuel.
The sector also faces a GH₵2 billion monthly revenue gap, driven by poor cost recovery and mounting debts owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Major public institutions, including Ghana Water Limited, have not paid their electricity bills in over seven months, further deepening the crisis.
Call for National Intervention
The NDC legislators are now demanding a coordinated, nationwide strategy to restore reliable electricity and mitigate the suffering of ordinary citizens.
“This is not a partisan issue. It’s about people’s survival, businesses, students, and patients. The government must act now,” they urged.
