The External Communications Manager for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Abubakar Lila has stated that the recent power disruptions were not a result of load shedding.

She attributed the outages to unforeseen occurrences, such as plants going off unexpectedly or trees falling on crucial power lines.

Abubakar Lila emphasised that these issues have been addressed to the barest minimum.

Regarding the demand for a load-shedding timetable, she explained, "If we know that there will be a shortage of a certain amount of kilowatts per hour for an extended period, then we can make a timetable. But when you are not sure there is a deficit, how can you give a timetable for something that does not exist?"

Her remarks come after Ghanaians urged the ECG to publish a load-shedding timetable to keep citizens informed about electricity availability.

The ECG maintained that the recent outages were isolated incidents caused by unexpected problems rather than systematic load shedding.

VAT Implementation

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is navigating not only the recent outages but also a potential 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) for residential customers. At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Finance announced the impending implementation of this tax, targeting residential customers exceeding the maximum consumption level specified for block charges for lifeline units.

However, as of now, the VAT has not been enforced. The ECG is meticulous in understanding all processes and formalities associated with the tax before implementing it. The delay is also attributed to the need for additional time to effectively compute the details before rolling out the tax.

The External Communications Manager of ECG acknowledged the concerns raised by customers about the proposed VAT.

She clarified, "So for now, there's no Value Added Tax for residential customers."

Abubakar reassured the public that her outfit is actively engaging with the Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority, and other stakeholders to determine the most effective way to implement the tax.