Minority demands load-shedding timetable amid ongoing power outages

The Minority in Parliament is calling on the government to publish a clear load-shedding timetable as persistent power outages continue to disrupt daily life across parts of the country.

The caucus argues that the situation cannot be blamed solely on the recent incident at the Akosombo substation, insisting that deeper structural challenges within the energy sector must be addressed.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, April 27, Deputy Ranking Member on the Energy Committee, Collins Adomako-Mensah, said the absence of a predictable outage schedule is creating uncertainty for households and businesses. He noted that in some cases, electricity goes off before any prior notice is issued, leaving consumers unable to plan effectively.

“Some of the updates I see on ECG, the lights would even go off before they tell you that the lights are not going to be on. Government must come in and give us a certain timetable to give us some respite and some planning space,” he said.

The Minority also questioned recent administrative actions within the power sector, including the suspension of the GRIDCo Chief Executive Officer and management changes at the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Ashanti Region. According to the caucus, the scale and frequency of the outages suggest technical deficiencies rather than issues of sabotage or personnel.

Mr Adomako-Mensah cautioned against politicising the crisis, arguing that the focus should be on allowing technical experts to resolve the challenges. “Let's allow institutions to work so we leave out the politicisation. Now you've taken out the Ashanti Regional Managers, who are you bringing, the Greater Accra Regional Managers? There are lights off in Greater Accra, too. So are they also sabotaging the system?” he queried.

He stressed that resolving the ongoing power disruptions requires a professional, technical approach rather than administrative reshuffles, and urged authorities to prioritise transparency and effective communication with the public.