Features
ECG outages: Paying for destroyed appliances through the ‘nostrils’
The ‘proper dumsor years’ are gone. And during those ‘debilitating years’, power outages ‘engineered’ by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), somersaulted straight to the ‘dogs’.
And the ‘dogs’ ‘ensnared’ by consistent darkness and restlessness, barked consistently, to apparently ‘scare’ ‘dumsor’ but ‘dumsor’ was not perturbed at all.
‘Dumsor’ kept on wreak horror and havoc on humans, homes, houses, schools, companies, factories and many other businesses in the Republic of Ghana.
Eventually, when ‘dumsor’ was ‘arrested’, it was unable to fulfill the ‘difficult’ bail conditions, so it was kept at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison.
And occasionally, when ‘dumsor’ is provoked ‘by the powers that be’, ‘dumsor’ will break jail and rush into ‘selected towns and cities’ of the country , to continue its action on any ‘innocent’ thing that stands in its way; including expensive electrical appliances.
And so it came to pass that, just recently, ‘dumsor’ escaped again from the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison and ‘rushed’ to the Ashanti Region, with ‘fury’.
And without any regard to His Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, ‘dumsor’ ‘nakedly’ ‘stormed’ the Manhyia Royal Palace and turned it upside-down; destroying all the expensive electrical appliances of the Great Asante King.
Apparently having ‘researched’ into ‘Ashanti war-history’, ‘dumsor’ first conquered the ‘vassal states’ of Ashanti before eventually ‘laying siege’ on Manhyia Royal Palace, thus, ‘attacking’ and ‘wrecking’ Otumfuo’s expensive electrical appliances with ‘venom’ and ‘vengeance’.
Indeed, Otumfuo has not been a happy man at all. He has expressed his dissatisfaction about the recent power outages in his kingdom.
Speaking during a recent courtesy call on him by the Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Asantehene announced that the intermittent power outages had destroyed his electrical appliances.
“I have been experiencing power outages recently. The light goes off and comes back without caution” , Otumfuo told the Energy Minister, stressing that, “all my appliances have been damaged because of the outages.”
Responding, Dr Prempeh attributed the recent power outages in the region to a fallen telecommunication mast that destroyed two towers belonging to the Ghana Grid Company earlier in November.
He, however, assured residents that the Energy Ministry was working hard to resolve the problem.
Apart from the Ashanti Region, there have been power outages in some parts of the country, too. They included the Central and the Greater Accra regions. And the outages affected many companies and residential homes.
Reportedly, the effects of the ‘dumsor war’ on Ashanti , were remarkably ‘devastating’, as indigenes and residents in the region also complained loudly.
Akwasi Boadi, 45, a resident of Suame in the vicinity of Kumasi says: “It is not only the Asantehene whose electrical appliances are damaged by the ‘dumsor’ that hit the Ashanti Region.
“I, myself, and many others have lost a lot. All the sophisticated electrical equipment I recently received from my brother based in Sweden, have been damaged by the ‘dumsor’.
“And the ECG is not telling us anything. They keep on destroying our things without paying for them. And such things are very expensive to repair.”
Sixty-two-year-old Mercy Konadu and a resident of Asafo in Kumasi also says all the electrical appliances in her entire household are damaged by the ‘dumsor’.
According to Mercy Konadu: “I hear the ECG has compensated the Asantehene for the damage caused by the ‘dumsor’ to his properties.
“If that is true, then for once, they have been a very responsible institution in Ghana. Always, ECG allows ‘dumsor’ to destroy our things without paying for them.
“People like us, who are nobodies, how can ECG or Ministry of Energy identify us, so as pay us compensation for the damage caused by ‘dumsor’ to our properties? “
Mercy Konadu says, ‘dumsor’ has been inflicting hardship on her household, “because anytime it happens, we have to pay through our nostrils to repair some of our gadgets, as we throw away the others, that cannot be repaired.”
Eugene Opoku Mensah is 52 years old. He is a resident of Bantama in Kumasi now. He says he has lived in Germany for over 20 years and during his stay there, no part of Germany experienced ‘dumsor’ for even one day.
“So, in Ghana, what are the real causes of ‘dumsor’ ? And for God’s sake, for how long can this preventable situation be resolved once and for all?
“And what pains me is that ‘dumsor’ destroys people’s properties and ECG and the Ministry of Energy pretend that they are deaf and dumb.”
Opoku Mensah asks:”And so, ECG and Ministry of Energy; if it is true that you have compensated the Asantehene, what should the others do to claim their compensation?”
Contact email/ WhatsApp of author: asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
BY G. FRANK ASMAH
In every society, there are people who do things their own way, regardless of what others think. Take the man who, by good fortune, acquired a beautiful Benz bus. Rather than becoming a bossy transport owner demanding daily accounts, he chose a different path. He hired a driver—but no driver’s mate. He became the mate himself. The bold inscription on the back of the bus reads: “MAN NO FOOL.”
He’s no fool, having long observed how drivers and mates conspire with daily accounts. He’s far above such tricks.
Domestic Pragmatism
Then there’s the married man enforcing his own version of the division of labor. One morning, he decreed he would handle all daily market shopping because he suspected his wife was “tearing chobo.” Earlier, he had claimed the kitchen ladle as his own, citing dissatisfaction with the portion sizes compared to his “chop-money” contributions.
From that day, he became the chief cook, while his wife became the steward. When the soup was ready, she would call him to allocate the meat. He called it “domestic pragmatism.”
The Dancing Kiosk
Consider a couple who ran a kiosk and, to protect their goods from theft, chose to sleep there each night. Last week, during heavy rains, they were asleep when the downpour started. Both began dreaming they were dancing at a jamboree—an uncanny simultaneous dream.
When they awoke, reality hit: their kiosk was afloat, doing a Michael Jackson-style dance in the floodwaters. They were lucky to survive. Others were not so fortunate.
That Tuesday, 24 residents of Accra lost their lives in the heaviest rains in 59 years. Property was destroyed, animals drowned, and the city experienced its worst traffic jams ever.
Floods and “Neck Insurance”
During the rains, waist-deep waters forced residents to become human transport, carrying others for a fee. I was spared, though I imagined my weight would have made “neck insurance” a must!
The aftermath left offices soaked, radios swimming on carpets, and workers struggling to salvage belongings. My office radio survived after drying, perhaps imbued with some holy-ghost luck—it seemed to walk on water.
A Call for Action
Mr. Nat Nunoo-Amarteifio, AMA boss, later appeared on the air to explain the floods, citing rising sea and lagoon levels. While informative, action is key. Years of warnings by veteran journalist Tom Dorkenoo—a man of prophetic environmental insight—have highlighted Accra’s vulnerability to floods. Two years ago, he outlined the risks, and the warnings proved accurate.
It is not enough for authorities to merely announce intentions to address drainage issues or unauthorized buildings. They must act decisively to prevent recurring disasters. Floods, property losses, and fatalities are preventable with proactive planning and strict enforcement of environmental regulations.
The Lesson
The saga of the dancing kiosk reminds us of human resilience, absurdity, and tragedy. While humor can lighten the story, the underlying message is serious: Accra’s flood challenges require urgent, sustained action.
Let us hope future rainy seasons bring fewer dancing kiosks and more effective city planning.
By Merari Alomele
Spectator
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Starvation is a complex issue influenced by multiple factors, including food availability, economic stability, and government policies. Understanding the mathematics of starvation involves analyzing calorie requirements, food distribution, and nutritional needs to ensure individuals receive sufficient sustenance for survival and health.
Calculating Nutritional Needs
To understand the scale of starvation, it is crucial to determine the daily caloric requirements of individuals based on age, sex, weight, and activity levels. For example, populations like that of the Gaza Strip require a specific number of calories per person per day to prevent malnutrition and starvation.
Food Distribution and Availability
Equally important is assessing food distribution and availability. This includes calculating the total food needed to meet nutritional requirements and ensuring it reaches those in need. In Gaza, Israel controls food inflow and determines the number of calories Palestinians require. However, the actual amount of food allowed into the territory often falls far below minimum nutritional needs.
Consequences of Inadequate Food Supply
Inadequate food supply leads to severe consequences such as malnutrition, starvation, and death. For instance, between March and June, Israel allowed only 56,000 tonnes of food into Gaza—less than a quarter of the territory’s minimum needs during that period.
Global Perspective
Starvation is not unique to Gaza. Millions worldwide face food insecurity due to conflict, climate change, and economic instability. Understanding the mathematics of starvation enables policymakers and humanitarian organizations to devise strategies that target the root causes of hunger effectively.
Key Factors Contributing to Starvation
- Poverty: Lack of resources limits access to sufficient food.
- Conflict: Wars disrupt food production and distribution networks.
- Climate Change: Extreme weather reduces agricultural yields.
- Economic Instability: Market fluctuations hinder access to food.
Addressing Starvation
Combating starvation requires addressing its underlying causes:
- Food Aid: Provide sufficient, targeted food assistance to those in need.
- Economic Support: Promote economic stability to improve access to food.
- Conflict Resolution: Resolve conflicts to restore production and distribution networks.
- Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Adopt sustainable agricultural practices to ensure long-term food security.
In conclusion, the mathematics of starvation underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to food insecurity. By understanding nutritional needs, calculating food distribution, and tackling the root causes, societies can work towards a future where hunger is no longer a daily threat.
BY ROBERT EKOW GRIMMOND-THOMPON
Spectator
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