Local entrepreneurs in Tongu lament negative impact of power outages

Some petty traders and business owners in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region have expressed their concerns about the adverse effects of the ongoing power outages on their businesses.

The residents disclosed their plight to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after many of them realised massive losses in their businesses due to intermittent power outages in these enclaves.

Mabel Nyekor, a cold store operator, told the GNA that she lost a significant portion of her perishable goods worth GH¢3,600 due to prolonged periods of outage in a week.

“It is not easy to do business nowadays. Everything has changed, but we are managing, yet the frequent power outages are another challenge that is hitting us very hard. Our petty businesses are sinking,” she cried.

Tandzi Grace, a hairdresser, stressed similar sentiments and highlighted the difficulties she also faces in serving her clients effectively during power cuts.

The situation is not isolated to the South Tongu District alone but extends to neighboring areas, including Central and North Tongu.

Wisdom Nyamordey, a bar operator in the North Tongu District, also shared that most clients do not patronize his services due to the power cut crisis.

The residents in these districts have reported a significant disruption to their daily lives and businesses whenever the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) initiates power cuts.

They appealed to the government to address the root causes of the power outage crisis and implement sustainable solutions to alleviate their plight and salvage their businesses.

Further investigations by the GNA revealed that some of these local entrepreneurs demonstrated resilience by exploring alternative means to sustain their businesses.

About thirty percent of these business folks in the three Tongu districts have invested in backup power sources, while others have adapted their operations to minimize losses during power outages as they await swift intervention from the government.