The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cut the Kumasi City Market, also called the New Kejetia Market, from the electricity system because of unpaid arrears totaling more than GH¢7 million.
ECG asserts that the market has defaulted on the payment plan, resulting in the disconnection, notwithstanding a prior agreement to settle the debt.
A comparable power outage occurred in April 2024, but the market was able to resume operations following management’s pledge to settle the debt.
A payment plan was created, but according to ECG, the market hasn’t followed it.
ECG is still not satisfied, despite the market’s management—headed by Managing Director Edmond Kofi Duffuor—claiming they have demonstrated a commitment to repaying the loan.
“From a total of 9.7 million Ghana cedis as of June, we have paid about 1.7 million Ghana cedis…So why should we be in darkness, when we are committed? I’m not paying any other service provider any money. No other person is receiving money from Kejetia Market apart from ECG.
He added, “Buying diesel is so expensive, we are now depending on a generator.”
To guarantee the seamless running of the market, the traders are pleading with the Local Government Ministry to step in and resolve the issue of the electrical supply.
The market is currently dependent on generators, which management believes cannot last.
