To assuage the anger and concern of its teeming customers and the public, the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) has issued an unqualified apology. It attributed the fluctuations and, in some cases, outright inaccessibility of its vending and credit purchasing service which has rendered customers stranded due to the current internet disruption affecting the country.
It further acknowledged the difficulty of using its digital platforms, ECG attributing it to the ongoing situation of general internet disruption. The company assured the public that management and staff are working round the clock to restore full service, and stated that in the interim, the company is exploring other available alternatives to mitigate the impact of the situation on business and the domestic environment.
In the press release, the company blamed the situation on the disruption of Internet Service plaguing the country and other parts of the continent.
On the 14th of March, an unprecedented internet snag affected many parts of the world, and initial reports, though unverified at the time suggested that many countries worldwide were facing similar problems.
Magnitude of the Problem
As it stands, Africa is the most affected, and many countries on the continent are experiencing varied degrees of internet disruptions. According to Netblocks, a renowned Global Internet accessibility tracker, unlike Ghana, Liberia, Benin, and Burkina Faso which have high outages, Ivory Coast has a severe one.
On the same note, Togo, Cameroon, Namibia, Niger, and Gabon are experiencing medium outages. Meanwhile, Nigeria, Lesotho, and South Africa have low outages. This puts Ghana as one of the most affected countries worldwide.
Reassurance and Company’s values
In the same press release, the company further reassures its customers and the public that it is working with its service partners to address the problem. “ECG wishes to assure all customers that we are engaging our service providers and metering vendors to assist resolve the challenge”.
In a related development, the company in another press release, “set the record straight” on a viral video that has set social media abuzz with conversation. In the said video, the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Samuel Dubik Mahama Esq, can be heard describing access to electricity as a privilege.
According to the company, the trending video is over a year and a half old. Moreso, it is an excerpt of a larger conversation that relates to a dispute the company had with customers in Somanya and the larger Yilo Krobo enclave of the Eastern Region it described as “ESG/ Manya Krobo Impasse”.
The utility company expressed its regret that the crux of the conversation has been twisted to soil its reputation. It reiterated that,
“ECG understands the plight of our cherished customers and the public amidst the current challenges, wishes to assure that the sentiment expressed in the video does not reflect the values and commitment of our MD and ECG to providing reliable electricity service”.
ECG
Calls for Policies and Contigency measures
Furthermore, there is a growing call for policymakers to broaden the scope of their digitization drive to include contingencies and alternatives to mitigate against future occurrence of eventualities like this.
In recent times, the government has embarked on a massive digitization drive for better service delivery and a speedy national developmental agenda. On the campaign front, digitization, and Information Technology (IT) have taken center stage.
A few days ago, Vice President Mahamud Bawumia launched the “Ghana Card at Birth” Policy. During the same period, the opposition National Democratic Party’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama also held a meeting with experts and players in the Fintech sector to solicit input for the party’s Fintech policy as it strives to capture power in the December 2024 election.
All these interactions underscore the importance of digitization to national development. It further highlights the need for robust policies and a conducive environment that allows IT companies to thrive. However, the current disruption indicates the lapses within the country’s digital ecosystem and the need for massive investment and appropriate policies to spur growth and development.
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