Power crisis: Eat a humble pie and admit you have failed – Mahama tells govt

Former President John Dramani Mahama has told businesses that the Akufo-Addo administration has plunged the country into a power crisis (Dumsor).

To him, the mismanagement of the government caused the power challenges.

Addressing members of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) on Tuesday, April 2, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said “You would recall that our beloved country went through some dark days of power crisis.

“Our first power crisis occurred in 1998. This triggered the need for reforms and long-term investments in the power sector. Unfortunately, the power crises resurfaced around 2007.

“Under my tenure as President, our challenges in the power sector became so severe. I accepted responsibility and took some bold decisions to provide a sustainable solution to the problem. I did not throw my hands in despair and blame my predecessors for the crises. When the Akufo Addo/Bawumia NPP government took over, they have disingenuously tried to take credit for the work that we did in the power sector, they rather blamed me for investing in excess capacity.

“Today they have plunged the country into darkness. Mismanagement of generating assets and collateralization of the ESLA have which was meant to generate the resources to finance current and legacy debt have led us back into dumsor. ”

He further stated that the best government can do is to eat humble pie, take responsibility for the problem and address it.

“Unfortunately, that is not the case. I am aware that businesses and households cannot plan because of the erratic power situation. When citizens demanded for a schedule to enable them plan, which is the least that a responsible government should do, the Energy Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, who was one of the frontline participants in the Dumsor Must Stop campaign while in opposition is reported to have said that those asking for a load shedding schedule wish ill for the country and should publish their own schedule. This is most disrespectful to customers.”