Workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Western Region who took part in yesterday’s May Day celebration at the Takoradi Jubilee Park, used the occasion to explain to Ghanaians that the ECG could not be blamed for the country’s current energy crisis known as dumsor.

The workers indicated that if there was anyone to blame for the current erratic power supply, which is making life unbearable for Ghanaians, then that person should be President John Dramani Mahama.

Even though the workers did not explain further, they alleged on their placards that the government alone owed ECG a whopping 1.6 billion cedis and stressed that the company shared in the pain of Ghanaians who are suffering because of the dumsor.

The theme of the celebration was “Addressing the Energy Crisis, the Role of Organized Labour.”

Most of the workers held placards with the inscriptions: “Dumsor is politically motivated,” “Dumsor, A Nation In Deep Darkness,” “Dumsor, Hold Mahama Responsible, Not ECG,” “Dumsor Is Not In ECG’s Dictionary” and “Punish the Corrupt Elements in Government,” among others.

In separate interviews, most of the workers remarked that the energy crisis, with its negative impact on businesses, industries, households and individuals, had been with Ghanaians much longer than what the people anticipated.

According to them, they expected that by this time, the government would have stabilized the generation and distribution of energy to engender economic growth.

Addressing a press conference immediately after the May Day march past, Osei Asibey Antwi, Western Regional Officer of the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU), noted that the ineffective and ad hoc solutions to the energy crisis had rather worsened the situation.

He reiterated that the situation had grounded many businesses and industries almost to a halt as productivity had drastically declined, resulting in the laying off of many workers.

“As at the last count, about 12,600 workers nationwide had lost their jobs due to the energy crisis; out of the number, ICU members account for 560,” he bemoaned.

The Western Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, earlier noted that with the onset of the rains, it was expected that the Akosombo and Bui dams would have enough water to enable them operate at full capacities.

According to him, the current energy problem required a collective and nationalistic approach devoid of partisan colouring.

Ellis Ankomah, the Western Regional Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), read the message of the Secretary-General of the congress.