With anticipation building ahead of the FIFA World Cup, residents of Ho, particularly football enthusiasts and business operators, are appealing to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO) to urgently address persistent low-voltage challenges affecting the Municipality.

The residents say fluctuating power supply, especially during the evening hours when most World Cup matches are expected to be televised, could disrupt viewing and damage electrical appliances, including television sets, refrigerators and other gadgets.

Many football fans fear that power instability could deny them the opportunity to enjoy the tournament, while business owners who depend on match screenings to attract customers worry about potential losses.

Mr Hope Demanya, a bar operator who intends to screen World Cup matches for patrons at the Lokoe Pavilion, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that stable electricity was crucial to the success of his business during the tournament.

“We are appealing to ECG to find a temporary solution to the low-voltage situation. Football lovers are looking forward to the World Cup and we want to enjoy the matches without interruptions,” he said.

Mr Justice Atsu, owner of Justice Furniture and operator of a football viewing centre near the Ho Technical University (HTU), also called on ECG to ensure reliable power supply throughout the competition.

He said football viewing centres were important gathering points for many residents and expressed concern that recurring power fluctuations could affect both businesses and football fans.

Beyond concerns over the World Cup, residents of the SSNIT Flats enclave have raised issues about recent power outages and malfunctioning streetlights along the SSNIT Flats-Lokoe road and Kabore Street, which they said continue to affect several residential blocks.

Mr Ebenezer Shotoe, a resident, told the GNA that recurring electrical faults had become a source of anxiety for many households.

He recalled a recent fire outbreak at one of the residential blocks and said residents feared that unresolved electrical defects, particularly those associated with the streetlight control system, could lead to another incident if immediate action was not taken.

“The situation is worrying. We are appealing to ECG to investigate the faults and fix them before they cause more damage or pose a threat to lives and property,” he said.

With a day to the start of the FIFA World Cup, residents are urging Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO) and ECG to implement immediate remedial measures to stabilize power supply, protect electrical appliances and ensure football fans can follow the tournament without disruption.

Residents expressed hope that the Company would respond swiftly to their concerns and provide temporary relief, while longer-term solutions are pursued.

Meanwhile, ECG taskforce, who responded to complaints of residents after assessing their transformer told the Ghana News Agency, that the problem could only have been low voltage.

In a related development, water rationing throughout the Municipality has been erratic with residents resorting to buying the resource for domestic and commercial activities.