‘Dumsor’ at NCC as ECG takes away power since Feb
The Community Youth Centre (technical unit) of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) at Kawukudi in Accra has been plunged in the unending darkness since February this year, following the disconnection of its power supply due to its indebtedness to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
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The unit owes the ECG GHc23,785.01, a debt which has accumulated over a period of 16 years (2001-2017) of non-payment of its bills.
When Showbiz visited its offices last Monday, the entire administrative block of the unit was in darkness, including the office of the Acting Director of the Community Youth Centre (CYCC).
As of 10.00am when Showbiz visited, the staff were sitting on the corridors, perhaps, strategising on how to make the best out of the situation which had hampered their work.
Inquest by Showbiz indicated that the absence of power had forced some of the staff to turn the assembly hall as their make-shift office where they run daily administrative duties.
Even though some staff whom Showbiz met were tight-lipped about the unfortunate incident, a source at the centre disclosed that the ‘dumsor’ had affected progress of work which was not the best for the outfit.
The plight of CYCC began last year when they were moved to their current offices which previously housed the Hajj Board. Within the period from 2001-2016, the Hajj Board reportedly accumulated the bill and the ECG had no option than to cut off power supply in February this year.
A letter dated Tuesday, April 4, 2017 and copied to the current Chairman of the Hajj Board, Sheikh IC Quaye, reveals how the centre had made frantic efforts to get the board to pay for the debt they left behind but that has proved futile.
“When we contacted them, the chairman said the board was also going through difficult times so they couldn’t foot the bill and [therefore] asked us to contact our sector Ministry. It’s worrying that an outfit benefit from a service and expect another to pay for it,” the source told Showbiz.
Further investigations revealed that the centre, whose role it is to provide young people with employable skills, had not received its subvention for many years and it had affected their projects as well.
Their only survival has been to partner with organisations who fund their projects to train the young ladies especially those within the Zongo communities.
At a time of our visit, some students were undergoing practical lessons in make-up artistry at the assembly hall which currently served as offices for the staff and a classroom for the learners.
Mariam Hussein, a student who spoke with Showbiz, used the occasion to appeal to government to come to the aid of the centre which is committed to train young ladies from the Zongos and other less endowed communities to acquire skills.
“I can confidently say that I’m a professional in make-up now. This is the handiwork of this centre. They are training us at virtually no cost for what others pay thousands for. This centre is doing well and to be able to achieve more to empower the youth, then the government has to resource it well,” she said.