President Akufo-Addo (right), shaking hands with Alex Nyarko (left), Chairman, Trades Union Congress, at the 2024 May Day celebration in Accra. With them is Dr. Yaw Baah (2nd from left), Secretary General, TUC
President Akufo-Addo has given Ghanaians a firm assurance that the issue of intermittent power supply that has recently engulfed the nation will come to an end soon.
According to him, it will not be under his watch that the dark days of dumsor, the power crisis that bedevilled the country under the leadership of then President Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) be re-enacted.
That, he said, was because the government has put in place adequate measures to forestall the recent power fluctuations which cannot in anyway be compared to what happened under the previous NDC administration, which led to the collapse of many businesses and industries.
Addressing this year’s national May Day celebration at the Black Star (Independence) Square in Accra yesterday, the President assured Ghanaians that all issues related to dumsor have been effectively addressed, and they can trust his word on this matter.
“As your President, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all Ghanaians for their patience and understanding of recent temporary challenges with the electricity supply experienced across the country. Over the period, the issues surrounding maintenance of transformers and gas supply have been successfully resolved, resulting in electricity supply reliability.”
“Indeed over the past few days, we have witnessed a stable supply of electricity across the country with no load-shedding reported anywhere yesterday. For the past seven years, we have worked tirelessly to keep the lights, and I am confident that the unfortunate era of dumsor will not return,” he said.
So far, he said maintenance works on transformers and other essential infrastructure which was causing the power fluctuations have been completed.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by the populace during the period of erratic power supply and thanked them for their resilience.
President Akufo-Addo talked of his government’s efforts to ensure continuous electricity supply and promised not to backtrack on this achievement.
That, he said, was because his government has worked tirelessly to keep the lights on for Ghanaians, and he intended to maintain this progress.
2024 Elections
President Akufo-Addo has cause to assure Ghanaians that the December 2024 general elections will not only be peaceful but credible as witnessed during the just-ended Ejisu by-election.
He stressed the need to maintain peace and order during elections, reassuring citizens that the same peace experienced in Ejisu will extend to the national polls.
The President therefore urged Ghanaian workers to actively participate in the electoral process, highlighting the crucial role they play in shaping the country’s future through their votes.
He encouraged them to vote for candidates who promote social inclusivity and unity rather than those who seek to divide the nation, stressing the significance of policies that bring people together, with a pledge to utilise all available resources to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
“Like in previous ones, Ghana will once again emerge stronger, more united, and more capable and advancing development goals. Workers as the backbone of our country have a special role to play in shaping our elections. Your voices matter, your participation is essential,” he said.
On his part, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Yaw Baah urged the President to keep his word on the need to fix the recent power crisis.
Dr. Baah stressed that Ghanaians cannot afford to endure the effects of the power challenges any longer, as it is severely impacting businesses and could lead to widespread unemployment if not resolved promptly.
He urged President Akufo-Addo and the government to take immediate steps to mitigate the effects of the situation.
“Mr. President, my second appeal is about dumsor. Mr. President, it is regrettable that the people of Ghana have to experience dumsor again after all that we went through in the past, we have to go through it again. Please do something about it now.”
He also emphasised the need for the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections, whilst urging the EC to fulfil its mandate by conducting credible polls that reflect the will of the Ghanaian people.
He also used the occasion to call on the police and the judiciary to carry out their responsibilities effectively to maintain law and order and guarantee the integrity of the electoral process.
The TUC boss stressed the importance of all institutions involved in the electoral process working together to ensure that the upcoming elections are conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent