Bono Stop Politicising Electricity Issues – NEDCo To Politicians

The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) has cautioned politicians against politicizing electricity power supply, highlighting that power generation and supply are not influenced by politics.

In recent weeks, Sunyani has seen a surge in power outages, prompting calls from customers, including Chiraahene Barima Mintah Afari II, seeking an explanation from the power distribution company.

However, NEDCo has revealed that Sunyani is not experiencing an intense power crisis, known as ‘dumsor,’ in the Bono region.

The rousing discomfort prompted the Bono Regional Minister, hon. Lawyer Joseph Addai Akwaboa, to embark on an unannounced visit to the NEDCo main power station in Sunyani to get briefing on challenges distorting power supply in the region.

Speaking in a short press briefing on Monday at NEDCo conference room, the Sunyani Area Manager for the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Ing. Eugene Odoi Addo acknowledged the issue and provided insights into the root causes of the persistent outages.

During the press briefing, the engineers at NEDCo unequivocally rejected dumsor allegations and political sabotage assertions that claim they want to make the government unpopular.

The minister was briefed by the NEDCo engineers on the general challenges and toured the control room to see firsthand the information at hand.

According to the service providers, the disruption experienced by customers in Fiapre, Baakoniaba, Berlin Top, Newtown, Bank of Ghana, Asufufu, Estate and nearby areas has been traced to a malfunctioning breaker at the Sunyani Bulk Supply point.

To address the crisis, NEDCo is embarking on a series of technical interventions, including establishing substations at Sunyani, Abesim, Fiapre, and Berekum to help transfer load on their network to ensure power reliability and efficiency and reduce overloads.

Additionally, a team of skilled engineers from the Northern Region has arrived in Sunyani to provide crucial technical support and address the challenges affecting the feeders.

The area manager told Kaakyire Kwasi Afari of Sunyani-based Ark fm that while temporary power cuts may occur during the maintenance works, residents can rest assured that stable power will be soon restored.

According to engineer Addo, NEDCo operates at a loss when power cuts occur, particularly given its social contract with consumers, making it clear that claims of intentional power outages are unfounded.

He said the utility’s commitment to serving the community is evident in its efforts to maintain and improve power supply despite the challenges.

Notwithstanding, Ing. Odoi Addo apologized to residents for the inconvenience caused by the recent power cuts, assuring them that NEDCo is committed to resolving the issue as quickly as possible.

The Bono Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Addai Akwaboa charged the NEDCo team to rectify the situation swiftly and ensure a stable power supply while acknowledging their challenges at hand.

He refuted allegations that President Mahama had brought back ‘dumsor,’ describing such claims as baseless speculation by political opponents.

The minister told Kaakyire Kwasi Afari of Sunyani-based Ark fm that a stable power supply remains a key factor in the NDC resetting agenda. Hence, NEDCo duties as suppliers can’t be overridden in achieving such significant goals.

Source: Kaakyire Kwasi Afari. Ark FM, Sunyani.