Parliament in darkness over unpaid ECG bills, leaves Some trapped in Elevators
In an unprecedented event that underscored the severity of Ghana’s ongoing energy crisis, the country’s Parliament found itself in complete darkness on Thursday, following the disconnection of its electricity supply by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) due to unpaid ECG Bills. The cause of this drastic measure? An outstanding bill amounting to GH₵23 million. This financial oversight led to a temporary power outage in the Chamber Block during a critical time as members debated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation address.
The scene was almost surreal, with Members of Parliament resorting to the use of their mobile phones to cast light in the chamber, navigating through discussions in an ad hoc manner. The minority caucus, expressing their frustration and pointing to the larger issue of power supply instability in the country, chanted “dumsor, dumsor,” a local term denoting the recurrent power outages.
Though power was swiftly restored in the chamber via a standby generator, the broader premises, including Job 600 which accommodates the offices of MPs and some staff, were left without electricity. The situation briefly escalated when several individuals, among them journalists, found themselves trapped in elevators, necessitating a rescue operation by engineers and officials from the Ghana Fire Service stationed within the parliamentary precinct.
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This incident did not just highlight the logistical challenges faced by one of the country’s key institutions but also threw into sharp relief the ongoing issues surrounding power supply and load shedding, known locally as “dumsor.” Prior to this event, the minority caucus had been vocal about the need for the government to acknowledge and address the current load shedding schedule, enabling citizens and businesses alike to plan their activities around power availability.
John Abu Jinapor, the minority spokesperson on energy, criticized the government’s denial of load shedding and pointed to financial difficulties as a key barrier to securing enough fuel for thermal plants, thus exacerbating generation challenges. Jinapor’s call for transparency and the need for an official load shedding timetable reflect a broader demand for accountability and effective management within Ghana’s energy sector.
This blackout at the heart of Ghana’s legislative body serves as a poignant reminder of the systemic issues facing the country’s energy infrastructure. It underscores the need for urgent solutions to ensure the reliability of power supply, not just for the functioning of critical state institutions but for the well-being and economic stability of the nation as a whole. The government’s response to this incident, and how it addresses the underlying issues of energy supply and financial management within the sector, will be closely watched by citizens and stakeholders alike.
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