Residents shop for Power, LPG as Lockdown rolls in

The eve of Ghana’s rollout of a partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) ushered in scarcities of its own – as the reality of a new way of life dawned.

The winners, apparently, were dealers in liquefied petroleum gas (aka LPG or gas (LPG or simply gas), vendors of electricity and transport service providers.

Streams of desperate residents between Tema and Afienya on the Tema Akosombo highway toured one vending shop after the other in a last-minute search for gas or power, unsure what life will be like beginning Monday morning when the “stay at home” orders by President Akufo-Addo rolls into force.

The situation at lorry stations were no better - long queues, desperate looks, and smiles for those who could afford it, greeted your approach.

“I have been to three power vendors at Afienya here but I cannot buy power. We have not run out yet but it won’t last two weeks so we need top-up. All the places I go they say we cannot serve your card, we have some for the old type of cards”, narated Mr. Frimpong, a resident of Afienya.

“Are you also looking for power?” Her wife inquired, suspicious what a microphone wielding man could be prowling the area for.

Their search, and those of many others, ended at Halleluyah, a suburb of the Community, where power was available but a long queue and ‘slow network’ compounded their frustration. They got served after about an hour-and-half waiting.

Read also: Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi under partial lockdown

Read also: Ghana Lockdown: Full Address by President Akufo-Addo

Then there were those carrying cylinders on foot. For some, the search had to be on foot because they exhausted money for transport already. And they turned to any direction they heard they could be fortunate. But one place after another they arrived late, ‘gas finished’, they were told. So waiting in this long queue was welcome, especially when owners assure them there is plenty in stock.

As for those travelling out of the city and headed in the direction of the Akosombo and the Volta Region, their chagrin was against the snail-paced built-up traffic. It was as if they were trapped for the approaching lockdown. But night came and they were all gone.

See list of areas affected by lockdown