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The iconic Kejetia Market in the Ashanti region has been disconnected from the national power grid for the second time due to a staggering GH¢70 million debt owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The disconnection, has forced the market to rely on an alternative power plant for its energy needs.
However, this has had a severe impact on the market’s operations, with traders and customers feeling the brunt of the power outage.
Traders at the market lamented the slowdown in business, with one trader stating, “Power has been disconnected to this facility, and the market is slow because people are not here to buy anything.
When the lights come on for some time, it goes off again because we rely on the generator set. It has been difficult for us.”
Customers also expressed concerns about safety and comfort, noting that the situation was making them feel unsafe and uncomfortable due to the darkness and the potential for criminal activities.
The President of the Federation of Kumasi Traders, Nana Akwasi Prempeh, highlighted the challenges faced by customers navigating the market in the dark, affecting their comfort and perception of security.
He explained, “The structure of the market any time the light goes off takes about 30–50 minutes, people who enter into the market to buy our things complain.”
To mitigate the effects of the power outage, the market’s management has resorted to using a power plant as an alternative source. However, this comes at a higher cost and with technical issues that make the power supply unsustainable. “Currently, the management engaged the leadership of the traders’ union that we cannot let the market be in darkness, so we had to rely on the plant.
But it is also coming at a higher cost. Every six hours, we have to use four and a half barrels of diesel,” Nana Akwasi Prempeh added.
