Former Deputy Power Minister, John Jinapor, has said that the political interference of the energy sector, by the Akufo-Addo-led government, is gradually crippling the sector in the country.
This, he fears, will eventually take Ghana back to another dumsor era if the challenges in the energy sector is not resolved urgently.
The former Power Minister’s comment falls on the back of the staff of Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) who are on a sit-down strike beginning Wednesday, December 10, until further notice.
The GRIDCo staff are demanding government settles over GHS1.2 billion owed the company by ECG, VALCO, PDS and NEDCO.
The sit down strike would be followed by a picket at the GRIDCo Head Office at a date to be announced later by the Staff Group Leadership, the Senior Staff Association of the power supplier said in a statement.
In a statement copied to Ghanaweb, John Jinapor stated that this is the first time in history the company will be embarking on a sit-down strike which is due to mismanagement.
He therefore urged government to prioritise the energy sector and utilise the revenue from the ESLA for its intended purposes to ensure the stability of the sector.
“The mismanagement and political interference by the Akufo-Addo-led government in the sector is gradually crippling the energy sector of this country.”
“The sector under the watch of this government has deteriorated so much that Staff of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) have for the first in the history of the Power sector announced a sit-down strike beginning Wednesday, December 11, 2019 until further notice,” he said.
GRIDCo runs the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS) which ensures the transmission of electricity from wholesale suppliers (generating companies) to bulk customers, which include the ECG, NEDCo among others.
Below is the full statement
The Nation risks experiencing a massive and total blackout during this Christmas season if the financial challenges confronting the energy sector are not resolved as a matter of urgency.
The mismanagement and political interference by the Akufo-Addo led Government in the sector is gradually crippling the energy sector of this country.
The sector under the watch of this government has deteriorated so much that Staff of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) have for the first in the history of the Power sector announced a sit-down strike beginning Wednesday, December 11, 2019 until further notice.
GRIDCo runs the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS) which ensures the transmission of electricity from wholesale suppliers (generating companies) to bulk customers, which include the ECG, NEDCo among others.
The staff of GRIDCo are demanding payments of arrears worth millions of Ghana cedis which despite assurances from President Nana Akufo-Addo that the Finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta will make their funds readily available has not materialised.
Despite huge receivables from the Energy Sector Levies instituted by President John Mahama, the Energy sector debts keeps rising at an alarming rate under this government and can only be attributed to gross mismanagement and lack of foresight by the current government.
This has culminated in the Electricity Company of Ghana recording over 8 billion Cedis losses since 2017.
The government must, as a matter of urgency, prioritise the Energy sector and utilise the revenue from the ESLA for its intended purposes.
It is equally important to urge Government agencies to make prompt payment for Electricity consumed rather than allow the debts pile up which ultimately threatens the stability of the sector.
Whilst sympathizing with staff of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO), the President must demonstrate leadership by ensuring a quick resolution of the impasse with the striking workers so Ghanaians can have a “Santa” Christmas with stable electricity supply even in the face of the rising cost of living.
Thank you. John Abdulai Jinapor. MP Yapei-Kusawgu
Source: ghanaweb.com
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this ediot of a cabal that luuted from the people through numerous dubious energy sector contract has the effrontery to rubbish, I don't blame you I blame akuffo addo and his stupppid attorney general for allowing cr1minals like to be walking freely on the street of ghana
I want to know what happened to John Mahama's double salary ministers? They are all walking free. Why? We must remove all of them from parliament. They are making too much noise in our ears.
You can't rule a country without justice, no wonder Ghanaians are so desperate. This guy and mahama walking free is not good for good governance.
We need a public hearing on mahama's dumsor. Everybody who benefited from dumsor must be jailed for that brutal crime against the people of this country. Mahama turned the light off so that he could bring in dubiouss power producers and steeell from us millions of dollars. This guy should be arrested for dumsor. Don't come and remind us of the most tragic moment in our recent history
But I thought they said he never took us out of dumsor?
As for you when I hear you speak I get nauseatic feeling. After the many underhand contracts in the energy sector you supervised you have the nerve to comment on challenges within the sector. NPP fuo no ar nso bi. You allow such sha-dy folks to walk about freely with the excuse that the wheel of justice grinds slowly. whichcan slow aaaa be this one? double salary mps continue to walk about castigating you and do nothing about what they've done. ana mo nso mo ye awifuo no bi NPP fuo?
Mr. Jinapor, I thought you said there was no dumsor when NPP took over when the arguments about the claims of who solved dumsor was ragging on. I beg! come again.
Ever since you guys lost power you have become so cynical on the energy sector and yet we are where we are nothing bad has happened since your dumsor days You guys left school never worked anywhere and your first jobs were ministerial appointment so you do not even know how corporations are ran. Which institution does not owe. You and that Adam whatever fulani man keep disturbing our ears.