66 Per cent of ‘dumsor’ unplanned — Report
A research conducted into the ongoing load-shedding exercise has pointed out that 66 per cent of the power cuts which have come to be known as “dumsor” are unplanned, while those living in high-class residential areas enjoy more power than other communities.
Advertisement
The “Dumsor Report,” which is the first quantitative analysis of load-shedding patterns as experienced by consumers in the country, is the outcome of a research conducted by Mr Kobina Aidoo, a public policy analyst and communications adviser for a think tank, and was supported by Ms Ewuramma Dontoh as research assistant.
According to Mr Aidoo, the report was primarily for the sake of public information intended to improve on the management and regulation of power in the country. He said the data showed three main aspects to the ‘dumsor’ crisis, which were shortage, uncertainty and inequality.
"While the shortage is known by all and the uncertainty is experienced by most, the inequality in distribution is an eye-opener. We did not find a clear pattern linking power supply to affluence but it is insightful to see that some of the areas where most people can afford generators are getting three times as much electricity as the areas where most people cannot. Thus, this crisis is worsening inequality in Ghana. We can't increase supply overnight, but we can certainly improve certainty and equality," he stated.
Research
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, he said the research’s respondents were selected from 32 areas of Accra based on the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) last published schedule of February 2015 and the respondents were asked to report each time their power went on or off between April 28 to May 11, 2015.
The areas included Cantonments, Dansoman, Chorkor, Weija Old Barrier, Anyaa, Dome Pillar 2, Lapaz (Nyamekye), Lapaz (Abeka) and Taifa. The others were Legon, Adentan, Laterbiokoshie, Kwashieman, Santa Maria (Auntie Aku), Santa Maria (School Junction), La, Ashongman Estates, Banana Inn and Trade Fair.
The rest were Mamprobi, Pokuase ACP, East Legon, Abelenkpe, Tema Community 2, Baatsona Spintex 1 & 2, Kwabenya, Amasaman, Bortiano, Madina and the ministries area.
Among the findings of the report are that Ridge, a residential area in Accra, was at the top of the table, with 329 out of 336 possible hours of power (98 per cent), while Chorkor was at the bottom with 103 out of 336 hours of power (31 per cent) during the period.
Average power enjoyed, according to the research, was 57 per cent of the time, while the Ministries had the longest period of power (“SOR”), which was 326 hours (13.5 days).
Other Trending Stories
The research also found that from May 5 to 8, Pokuase ACP had 74 hours of additional power outage (“DUM”) and Weija Old Barrier had 38 frequent on/off (disco lights), while Ministries had only one off, which lasted 10 hours.
It further showed that the brightest day was May 2 when 71 per cent of the total possible amount of power was provided and the darkest day was experienced on April 28 when 47 per cent of the total possible amount of power was provided.
The brightest hour, however, was between 6p.m. and 7p.m. on May 4 when only 16 per cent were in darkness (DUM) and the darkest hour was from 6p.m. to 7p.m. on May 7 when 86 per cent were in darkness.
The research also found that 13 times the ECG gave consumers less than one hour of light. The shortest was for Laterbiokoshie on May 2, when the light came on for 35 seconds and went off for 34 hours.
View
Commenting on the study, an industry expert, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, said the findings showed that "the only schedule that matters is where ECG thinks it will get paid."
Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, the Executive Director of the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) also indicated that, "the data shows ECG has not been following its own timetable on load-shedding, while the PURC, which is the regulator, has also been asleep, unable to enforce the timetable."
Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh