Power Outages in Parts of Accra Cripple Businesses and Households, Residents Demand Urgent ECG Intervention
Persistent power cuts and voltage fluctuations in areas such as Achimota, Tantra Hills, and Mile 7 have severely disrupted business operations, damaged equipment, and caused significant financial losses for residents and small business owners, prompting urgent calls for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to restore stable supply.
Affected entrepreneurs and households report that the erratic power situation—ongoing for nearly a week—has brought daily activities to a standstill, with many forced to close early or halt services entirely.
The outages, characterized by prolonged blackouts and frequent flickering, have raised fresh concerns about the reliability of electricity in the capital at a time when small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are already grappling with high operational costs.
Rahinatu Tahiru, who manages a washing bay in central Tantra Hills, told JoyNews on Monday, February 23, 2026, that her business has been crippled by the disruptions.
“Three days ago, the power went off here, and whenever that happens, we are unable to work,” she said. “The workers also need money to buy food, but the electricity keeps flickering. Yesterday, one of our machines got damaged because of a power problem. We need immediate intervention.”
Tahiru explained that the washing bay had operated smoothly until the recent issues began, but the frequent outages have now made it impossible to maintain productivity or generate consistent income.
Across the road, barber shop owner Prince Osei shared similar struggles, noting that the power typically fails in the morning and only returns around 5:00 p.m.—by which time most customers have left.
“The thing has been going on for like one week now,” he said. “When the light goes off in the morning, it comes around 5:00 pm. By that time, all the customers are gone, so business goes down and you don’t get much money at the end of the day.”
Residents in the affected communities are also counting heavy losses. One household reported that repeated fluctuations forced them to switch off appliances to prevent further damage, but food items in the fridge had already spoiled.
“When I realised the power was flickering, I decided to switch off my fridge and TV set, but the items in the fridge had already spoiled,” the resident said. “For three days now, our meat, chicken and goat have all gone bad, and it has really cost us.”
The complaints highlight the broader vulnerability of urban households and informal businesses to unreliable power. Many residents depend on electricity for refrigeration, mobile phone charging, small-scale production, and daily livelihoods, making even short outages financially devastating.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has yet to issue a detailed public statement specifically addressing the outages in Achimota, Tantra Hills, and Mile 7 as of February 23, 2026. However, power supply challenges—including load shedding, grid instability, and maintenance issues—remain a persistent national concern, particularly during peak demand periods.
Affected consumers and business owners are appealing directly to ECG and relevant authorities to urgently diagnose and resolve the problem, restore consistent supply, and provide compensation where equipment damage has occurred. They stress that stable electricity is essential for survival in an economy where many rely on daily cash flow from small enterprises
