Although national power supplies have largely stabilised, residents of Obuasi continue to suffer frequent outages that last between 12 and 24 hours. The prolonged and unpredictable blackouts are taking a heavy toll on public health, local businesses, education and everyday life and urgent action is needed from the government, the regional minister, the Municipal Chief Executive and the electricity company.
Health facilities struggle to keep essential services running during extended outages. Clinics and smaller hospitals, often relying on limited backup generators or none at all, face interrupted services for laboratories, sterilisation and drug refrigeration; this puts vulnerable patients at risk and forces extra referrals to better-equipped facilities. Households caring for the elderly, infants and chronically ill patients likewise face danger when lifesaving devices or cold-chain medicines cannot be reliably powered.
The economic consequences are severe. Small and medium enterprises such as shops, food vendors, tailors, welders and tailors lose revenue when customers stay away and perishable goods spoil without refrigeration. Larger employers, including mining-related businesses in the area, face productivity losses and increased operating costs from constant reliance on expensive diesel generators. Frequent outages deter investment and place additional strain on already fragile family incomes.
Education and safety also suffer. Students cannot study at night, schools cannot run digital learning tools reliably, and street lighting failures increase risks of accidents and crime. Water supply systems that depend on electric pumps become intermittent, creating hygiene and sanitation problems. Women and children, often responsible for household food and water management, disproportionately shoulder the added burden.
We call on the government, the regional minister and the Municipal Chief Executive to treat this as an emergency. The electricity company must provide full disclosure of the causes and a clear timetable for restoring stable supply to Obuasi. Immediate measures should include prioritising power to hospitals, water-treatment and pumping stations, and critical public services; deploying temporary generation where necessary; and implementing a transparent schedule for planned outages to allow households and businesses to prepare.