Power outages are disturbing and worrying - Paramount Chief of Builsa

The Sandem-Nab, Nab Azagsuk Azantilow, Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area in the Upper East Region has expressed concern about the frequent power outages in the Traditional Area at night.

The Sandema Township and its environs for the past about four months, continues to experience unexplained erratic power outages at night leaving residents helpless and grumbling among themselves about the situation.

The Chief who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the fluctuations of electricity said it was stifling the efforts of the business community.

“We do not like the frequent power outages, it is disturbing and worrying. It creates problems for us,” the Paramount Chief and President of the Builsa Traditional Council told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sandema.

He said electrical appliances of residents at home, especially refrigerators without supporting power stabilizers, could be damaged by the worrying erratic power outages.

Some residents also expressed their frustrations to the GNA about the situation, and called for immediate intervention from duty-bearers.

They said the power fluctuations did not only damage their electrical appliances, but also affected their businesses and plunged the township into darkness.

Joseph Atuah, a resident, said “The power situation in Sandema is unfortunate. The rains have set in, and with the bushes around, some bad people can take advantage of the darkness to attack others.

“Already, there are no street lights along major roads and so with this frequent erratic power outages in the night, it gives opportunity to criminals to operate.

“What is more disturbing is that there is no official communication to alert us. The power just goes off and on at will,” he said.

Elijah Anankansa, another resident, said “This power situation is unbearable. It makes life in Sandema boring. It affects our official and domestic activities. Something urgently needs to be done about it, so that life in Sandema would return to normal.”

Ruth Serwa Badu, a nurse at the Sandema Hospital and resident, also expressed her frustration about the situation, saying “These erratic power outages at night have damaged my refrigerator.

“It is actually frustrating living in this town. Something urgently should be done to salvage the situation,” she said.