Former President and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate, John Mahama, has raised serious concerns about the government’s handling of the country’s ongoing power crisis.
Speaking at a rally during his #Mahama4Change2024 campaign tour, Mr. Mahama accused the government of intentionally deferring responsibility for the power shortages, suggesting they hope to shift the blame onto an incoming NDC administration if his party wins the upcoming election.
John Mahama criticized the current administration for failing to provide a clear load-shedding timetable, a move that he believes has left citizens unprepared and in the dark—literally and figuratively—regarding the scope and impact of the outages.
He recalled how the current running mate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, was unable to release a reliable load-shedding schedule when he previously served as the Minister of Energy.
The former president attributed the worsening crisis to Sunon Asogli’s recent withdrawal from the power supply sector, which has left a significant gap in energy resources.
This, according to him, has intensified the shortages and further strained the already struggling sector.
In a pointed accusation, Mr. Mahama claimed that the current government intends to saddle the next administration with an estimated $2 billion debt in the energy sector.
He warned that this financial burden would severely restrict the incoming government’s ability to resolve the crisis, leaving the sector vulnerable to prolonged difficulties and impeding future solutions.
To underscore his message, John Mahama cited recent power outages in the Agona Swedru, Gomoa Beseadze, and Apam areas—communities he visited on Friday, November 8, 2024, as part of his tour through the Central Region.
Residents in these areas experienced blackouts just as John Mahama was addressing them, a situation he pointed to as evidence that the “Dumsor” (power outages) problem has returned.
Addressing a gathering in Agona Swedru, he assured the crowd that he would tackle the energy crisis head-on if re-elected.
He pledged to take comprehensive action to clean up and revitalize the energy sector, drawing on his past experience in addressing similar issues during his previous tenure.
“I have done it before, and I am ready to do it again,” he assured the audience, emphasizing that an efficient and reliable energy system would benefit not only Agona Swedru and its surrounding communities but the entire country.
John Mahama’s commitment to restoring stable electricity resonated with the crowd, many of whom have experienced the frustrations of power instability firsthand.
His speech, reported by Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh of Ahotor FM, reflected a promise to bring meaningful change and effective solutions to the energy sector’s long-standing issues if given the mandate to lead again.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh (#RomeoWrites✍️) / Ahotoronline.com | Ghana 🇬🇭
