Sunday,
November 16, 2014
Folks, when I read a news report
yesterday that angry residents of Abeka Lapaz-Tabora (a suburb of Accra) on
Sunday afternoon blocked roads and destroyed property at the Kwashieman power
station over persistent power cuts in the area, I cringed, clearly because I
knew that it was an action that would have a rippling effect. True to my
apprehensions, something has happened elsewhere to tie in with it.
Angry residents of Odorkor
(another suburb of Accra) replicated the actions by consumers in Abeka
Lapaz-Tabora. The general complaint is that “the frequent power outages have
destroyed their home appliances and made it impossible for them to plan their
lives. (See more at:
http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2014/November-16th/angry-abeka-residents-destroy-ecg-properties-over-power-cuts.php#sthash.nOTMgRMj.dpuf).
The stage is set, and no one
needs to go too far for what will follow or how those seeking to sneak through
with their petty political agenda will cash in. No one needs to blame the angry
consumers. The blame lies squarely at the foot of the power providers!! So is
it with those providing other utility services who are quick at implementing
draconian measures to exact their “pound of flesh” but very slow at serving the
needs of consumers.
The impunity with which utility
service providers have acted or failed to act is disturbing. Over the years,
they have taken matters into their own hands and acted with such an annoying
impudence as to put the consumers on edge.
The Electricity Company of Ghana
and the Ghana Water Company are HATED by consumers because of how they
disregard the interests of their clientele to do things on their own.
Unfortunately for them, it seems the consumers have now woken up to take the
fight to them.
The conduct of the ECG is
particularly obnoxious, given the prevailing circumstances. The introduction of
pre-paid meters created the impression that the interests of consumers would
account for how electricity would be supplied and regulated. Unfortunately, the
overpowering phenomenon of “Dumsor… Dumsor…” has reduced everything to
absurdity, giving the ECG an undeserved authority to do things at it wishes to
the disadvantage of consumers.
The institutionalization of
pre-paid meters suggests that power would be regularly supplied and the
consumers charged accordingly. Unfortunately, the line has been distorted to
the advantage of the ECG. And the ECG hasn’t even factored into its modus
operandi any need to apologize to consumers for any disruption in the power
supply regime nor is there any consideration for compensation. As usual, the
poor consumers have been constructed as dummies to be exploited.
The lack of avenues for legal
redress seems to be emboldening the ECG and the other utility service providers
to harm the interests of consumers. Unfortunately for them, the consumers can
resort to crude methods to register their protest. Thus, what we see unfolding
is a microcosm of what the consumers have up their sleeves. Although I don’t
condone the recklessness motivating the action against the ECG, I think that
the consumers have been pushed too far to the wall and should be sympathized
with.
The spate has been set, and I
expect more communities to follow suit. The destruction of physical assets of
the ECG is bad, but what else can the disgruntled consumers do to register
their concerns? Where next will they go? Who is monitoring the situation to
curtail selective sabotage? Certainly, any concerted effort to selectively
destroy important installations under the guise of such protests could have a
devastating impact that will harm our national interests. Are the authorities
really open-eyed as some of us are?
From a wider angle, I can foresee
the danger ahead. No matter how “hardy” the citizens may be, if they can no
more contain the hardships facing them (or being imposed on them by institutions
that know nothing better than squeezing the people to sustain themselves), they
will do anything at all they can to seek vengeance. And that vengeance won’t
help our national cause. Is that what we want?
I hope that no partisan political
interest will take over the agitations. Otherwise, woebetide the system!!
I shall return…
·
E-mail:
mjbokor@yahoo.com
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me on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/mjkbokor to continue
the conversation.
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