Power outages negatively impacting businesses, tackle the problem immediately – GUTA
The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has explained how the current power outages are affecting businesses negatively.
According to the union, the negative impact of the power outages on the entire economy is overwhelming as it affects every sphere of productivity from agriculture, trade to industry.
Manufacturers for instance are finding it difficult to maintain production schedules as well as plan for their workers due to the inconsistency in the power supply, which also adds cost to production and worsens the living conditions of the people, GUTA said.
A statement they issued said “Traders-Shop owners, Wholesalers, Tailors and Dressmakers, Electricians, Artisans, and all those who use electricity in their business are suffering a great setback as a result of this ‘Dumsor’ phenomenon, creating unbearable situation to businesses in the country.
“We demand to know the following from ECG:
1. What is/are the real cause of the erratic power outages in the country?
2. What efforts are being made to fix it?; and
3. At what timeline?
“ECG should also furnish Ghanaians with a timetable for the ‘dumsor’ to enable us plan our business activities. Also, due to the unpredictable power outages, most shop owners resort to the use of generators, where they buy and keep petrol for use of generators in the event of unexpected power outage. This is not only against the safety and security of our markets but also a dangerous practice necessitated by the ‘dumsor’ phenomenon, which needs to be fixed expeditiously.
“We express our solidarity with all those affected by this avoidable ‘dumsor’ crisis and call for urgent action by the government to alleviate the hardship we are going through, especially the business community.”