Dumsor Hits New Kejetia Market

The Electricity Company of Ghana has disconnected the Kumasi Kejetia New Market in the Ashanti Region from the national grid, halting commercial activities at the facility.

Tuesday, the Electricity Company of Ghana cut power to the facility due to an outstanding debt.

A reliable source at the facility disclosed to OTEC News' Jacob Agyenim Boateng that the market owes more than Ghc 5.9 million in ECG bill arrears.

However, market vendors accused management of refusing to pay ECG, resulting in the disconnection.

A excursion to the market on Thursday, May 11, 2023, revealed that the majority of merchants relied on their mobile phones and torches for illumination.

Those merchants who could not tolerate using torches in the pitch-black market were compelled to close their businesses.

Mr. Frank Antwi, an executive member of the Combined Kejetia Traders Association, characterized the situation as alarming.

He noted that the use of a single bulk metering system made it problematic for facility managers to pay their electric bills.


"We have over 8,000 stores using a single bulk meter, and while most are paying their bills, some are not, making it difficult to collect sufficient revenue to pay the bills."

"We are requesting that the market's management first work diligently to collect past-due bills from merchants and then provide individual meters to stores to avoid this issue." He said.