Residents and small business operators in Golokwati in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region say rising electricity bills and frequent power outages are putting increasing pressure on their livelihoods and household finances.
The residents have consequently appealed to the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Mr Frank Afriyie, to intervene and engage the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) over what they describe as unexplained increases in their monthly electricity bills.
According to them, their bills have risen significantly in recent months despite no corresponding increase in their electricity consumption.
They said the situation was particularly frustrating because the higher bills were being accompanied by an inconsistent power supply, making it difficult for households and businesses to plan and meet their financial obligations.
Mawuli Gazo, a resident, said the continued increase in electricity charges had become difficult for residents to bear.
“We are tired of paying high bills. We want our MP to help us. We can’t continue to bear this problem every day,” he said.
Another resident, Fo Kwaku, also called for government intervention to address both the billing concerns and the frequent interruptions in power supply.
The impact has also been felt by traders whose businesses depend on regular electricity supply to preserve goods and operate their businesses.
A trader identified as Da Yawa said the frequent outages had affected her sales, with some of her goods getting spoilt whenever there was no electricity to keep them fresh.
“My sales have dropped because of the power outages. My goods get spoilt when there is no light to keep them fresh,” she lamented.
The residents are therefore calling on the MP and the Afadzato South District Assembly to engage ECG management to investigate the billing increases and provide an explanation to affected consumers.
They also want consumers to be educated on efficient electricity usage as part of measures to address concerns over high bills.
The ECG office in the district had not responded to the concerns raised by the residents at the time of the report.
