ECG must give us functional timetable

Currently awash Facebook are pictures of some pupils and students lined up in front of banks and other institutions in the night to use the light there to study, while others gather around kerosene lanterns, torches and ‘osono’ to do their homework. 

The pictures are so sad for a nation with abundant resources as we enter another year saddled with an energy crisis christened ‘Dumsor, Dumsor’.

 Indeed, if there is any challenge which most Ghanaians would want dealt with quickly, it is this load shedding of power. The situation is now dire, as there seems to be no end in sight, with many becoming sceptical about the government’s plans to reverse the trend.

Fact is that energy is the bedrock on which industries and nations grow and it is evident that the power situation is largely attributable to the dwindling fortunes of the economy. 

We have, indeed, played the ostrich for far too long and it is no longer tenable to continue to adopt ad hoc measures in our quest to solve the energy crisis. Electricity is a prerequisite for any serious industrialisation and this calls for concrete action to fix the power challenges, especially as world commodity prices keep tumbling down. 

One surprising and annoying thing is the incidence of uninterrupted supply to a section of the people, while others are continuously denied electricity. 

The Mirror appeals for a clear and unambiguous timetable for the load shedding to help assuage the sensibilities of Ghanaians, particularly those who feel that they are being short-changed and discriminated against in the supply of electricity.

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) must also ensure that its frontline staff are trained to receive and handle complaints for urgent remedial measures, since not all can afford generators in their homes.

Presently, it is being argued in some quarters that the reduced fervour in football in a country noted for its strong passion for the sport is somehow related to ‘dumsor’. 

As people rightly point out, how could ‘we experience light off when the national team is playing?’ This goes to show how the crisis is affecting the national psyche.

No society can develop without respect for laid-down rules and regulations and so it is time to crack the whip and rein in those selfish and myopic individuals who stand to benefit from this sorry state and are, therefore, not interested in helping to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

The Mirror calls on the ECG to give us at least a functional timetable. 

This is urgent!