By Alfred Adams
The current energy crisis facing the country, which has led to the load shedding of power, seems to have gone beyond worse in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.
There seems to be no end in sight to addressing the problem, as the metropolis continues to be plunged into total darkness as a result of the power crisis.
The resultant effect has had, not only a telling effect on domestic activities, but businesses and industries are also suffering great losses.
Business players continue to express grave worry about the worsening power crisis situation in the metropolis, and are wondering as to when it would improve.
For now, it is obvious that businesses are running at a loss as a result of the non-availability of constant power.
In Sekondi-Takoradi, many businesses, particularly cold stores, and laundries which depend mostly on electricity have begun to suspend operations as a result of the situation.
Information available to The Chronicle indicates that those in the laundry businesses have begun to lay off their workers. A casualty in the laundry business, who gave her name as Edna, told this reporter that she, together with her colleagues numbering about ten, have been asked to go home until the power crisis improves.
Edna said the power crisis had become unbearable, and that “you will go to work and the whole day you will not get power to work.”
To her, she doesn’t blame the management of her business for asking them (workers) to go home until the situation improved.
“This is because no business would want to pay you for no work done,” said Edna, and put the blame right on the doorsteps of the President.
She believed that if the President had sat up, the power crisis would not have reached such a devastating level.
But, Madam Araba Tagoe, a businesswoman, on her part, believed that the President might be having sleepless nights in an attempt to finding a solution to the power crisis.
“I sincerely believe the President will fix the problem. It just a matter of time and the problem will be over.”
Araba Tagoe, who operates a food joint, however, expressed concern about the worsening power crisis in the metropolis, and called on civil society organisations to also brainstorm as to how to address the power crisis.
The businesswoman cum politician, however, said with the flow of gas from Atuabo to the Aboadze thermal plant would go a long way to either improve or end the crisis.
As a measure to apparently, address the problem, the President has now created a special Power Ministry with the sole responsibility to provide power.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor, a former Minister would head the new Ministry if approved by Parliament.