Frequent power outages crippling businesses in Oti Region – Chonke Overlord

The Overlord of the Chonke Traditional Area, Dasebre Attamafuwuesi Kwame Bonja, has called on the government to urgently tackle the ongoing power crisis in the Oti Region. He warned that frequent power outages are critically impacting businesses and the livelihoods of residents. According to the traditional leader, power blackouts occur more than twenty times daily in certain regions, causing damage to electrical appliances and equipment.

Dasebre Bonja welcomed the government's initiative to connect underserved communities to the national grid and urged the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to first address existing issues to ensure a reliable power supply for both existing and new customers. During the sod-cutting ceremony for a GH¢300 million rural electrification project, the Chonke Overlord stressed the need for the ECG to have a permanent regional director in the Oti Region to address power emergencies more promptly and enhance customer service.

The Deputy Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, responded to the concerns by announcing plans to deploy 2,000 additional distribution transformers, mini-grids, solar home systems, and solar streetlights in the region. He also urged residents to safeguard electrical infrastructure from vandalism and illegal connections, follow electrical safety guidelines, and promptly pay their electricity bills after being connected to the national grid.