Power Outages Spark Debate Over Cause as Businesses Feel the Impact
Ghanaians divided over whether outages are due to substation fire or a return of “dumsor”
Frequent power outages across parts of Ghana in recent times have sparked public debate, with many questioning whether the situation is a result of recent infrastructure damage or a return to the era of ‘dumsor’.
The outages follow reports of a fire outbreak at GRIDCo’s Akosombo substation, a major source of electricity supply in the country. Authorities say repair works are ongoing, which may be contributing to the disruptions in power supply.
However, public opinion remains divided.
In a vox pop conducted by Lucky TV, some residents attributed the outages to the recent fire incident, expressing confidence that power will stabilise once repairs are completed.
“When President John Dramani Mahama first came into power, this issue wasn’t there. This seems like a temporary problem, and we believe it will be fixed soon. It’s not a case of ‘dumsor’ returning,” one respondent said.
“Power has been stable since 2024, and it’s only this month that I’ve noticed the outages. If there wasn’t an issue, there wouldn’t be interruptions, so what they’re saying could be true,” a cold store operator said.
“I rely heavily on electricity, but when we report outages, they are usually fixed. The situation is not too worrying for me,” the operator added.
Others, however, say the outages are already having serious consequences, particularly for businesses, and believe the situation reflects a return to the period widely referred to as ‘dumsor’.
“The light issue is really worrying us in Kasoa. It’s affecting our businesses because we are not able to do anything when the power goes off. For me, I think it is ‘dumsor’. That’s what we are already experiencing, so the government should work on it and fix it, or we risk going backwards as a country,” another respondent said.
The outages are also taking a toll on businesses, particularly small-scale operators who depend on consistent electricity for their daily operations.
“The power outages are really worrying me because of the business I run. If it were a relationship, I would say it’s a red flag, but since I’m not in the technical field, we leave it to the experts to determine the actual problem,” a trader said.
While the cause of the outages remains under discussion, many Ghanaians are calling for swift intervention to restore stable power and minimise disruptions to livelihoods
