The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has raised concerns over the recent wave of power outages in Ghana, popularly referred to as “dumsor,” attributing the crisis to the mismanagement of the country’s power-generating assets and the government’s decision to collateralize the Energy Sector Levy Act (ESLA).
ESLA was introduced by the government to consolidate various levies in the energy sector with the aim of funding power generation projects and addressing outstanding debts. However, Mahama argues that the government’s move to collateralize the revenue generated from ESLA has exacerbated the resurgence of power cuts, plunging the nation into darkness once again.
In a statement addressing the escalating power crisis, Mahama expressed deep concern for the adverse effects of the erratic power supply on both businesses and households, emphasizing the crippling impact of such uncertainties on effective planning and operations.
He called for transparency, accountability, and urgent action to mitigate the disruptions caused by the ongoing dumsor crisis.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Mahama remarked, “The country has been plunged into darkness. Mismanagement of our generating assets and collateralization of the ESLA, designed to finance current and legacy debts, has pushed us back into the doom zone.”
He continued, “The responsible course of action for the government is to acknowledge its role in this crisis, take ownership of the problem, and earnestly work towards resolving it. Unfortunately, that level of accountability seems to be lacking at the moment, leaving businesses and households in a state of uncertainty due to the erratic power situation.”
As Ghana grapples with the reemergence of dumsor and its adverse effects on the economy and daily life, Mahama’s criticisms underscore the pressing need for proactive measures and effective management of the country’s energy resources to ensure a stable and reliable power supply for all.
By Vincent Kubi