Same old story - Cross section reaction to address

A 48-year-old banker at the Ghana Commercial Bank, Mr Andrews Tawiah, said he was particularly disappointed because the government could not “tell Ghanaians when the energy and water crises will end”.

“Since 2013 began, we have so far experienced so many problems, beginning with water shortage, load-shedding and  increases in fuel prices. These problems, whether the President agrees or not, have affected many businesses, thereby worsening the case for the poor folk,” he said.

 Mr Tawiah said the reason he chose to watch President Mahama’s delivery of the address was because he was tired of listening to what he termed “lies and deception” from some social commentators regarding the electricity problem in the country.

Asked whether he was impressed with the President’s address, Mr Thomas Abban, another banker at Ecobank Ghana, said the address failed to focus on how to reduce unemployment among the youth in the country.

“Although President Mahama mentioned the expansion of hospitals and the construction of roads as major areas his administration planned to improve, unemployment issues were not properly dealt with,” he said.

In spite of that, Mr Abban expressed the hope that President Mahama and his administration would find a permanent solution to the problems bedeviling the country.

According to Madam Elizabeth Andoh, a teacher, “ the government keeps raising the hopes of Ghanaians alive but never offers them what they need”.

She said although she had been in the teaching profession over decades now, she never paid attention to what any official from the government came to tell her.

Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports from Cape Coast that some residents of the metropolis said they were not convinced about the President’s statement on efforts to resolve the energy crisis in particular and other utility services in the country.

They indicated that statements about efforts would only be acceptable if the erratic energy situation and poor services from other utility service providers came to an end.

They said they were aware of all the problems; what they needed now was solutions.

"This on-and-off electricity supply to our homes is bad," they said.

A retiree, Mr Kobina  Annobil, noted that the unreliable power supply had made life uncomfortable.

“The government has been put in charge to solve problems and not to repeat the problems we have in speeches to us,” he said, adding that the situation must be sorted out.

A broadcast journalist, Mr Thomas Cann, said there was no need for a increment in utility bills.

He said what was important was for the government to ensure that the quality of service by the utility providers was improved.

“We have had enough of statements; what we need is action,” he said, adding that the government must forget about increasing utility tariffs.

He noted that many industries had suffered great losses as a result of unreliable electricity supply and asked for punitive sanctions on heads of public institutions.

Story by Dominic Moses Awiah & Ruby Efe Ani-Adjei