Akufo-Addo’s government’s interference, mismanagement crippling energy sector – Jinapor

Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu in the Savannah Region and Member of Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, John Abdulai Jinapor has blamed the challenges in the energy sector on interference and mismanagement by the Akufo-Addo-led administration.

“The mismanagement and political interference by the Akufo-Addo led Government in the sector is gradually crippling the energy sector of this country,” he asserted in a statement followed the beginning of a strike action by staff of the Ghana Grid Company on Wednesday

The former Deputy Minister of Power under President John Mahama’s administration argues that the government inability to retire debts it owes various entities in the energy sector despite having received funds is what has resulted in the financial challenges in the sector, which could plunge the country into darkness if not resolved expeditiously.

Staff of GRIDCo who had warned that it would embark on a strike action if debts owed it by government was not paid, started a sit-down strike today, promising to escalate it to an outright strike if nothing is done.

Government had assured GRIDCo that it would pay outstanding debts but has failed to do so forcing the workers to carry through with their threats.

Mr Jinapor insists that government has generated enough revenue through taxes and other levies to be able to defray its debts but have mismanaged the funds.

“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,” he maintained.

He concludes that the government has not prioritised issues concerning the energy sector and has not used revenue meant for the sector diligently.

“The government must, as a matter of urgency, prioritise the Energy sector and utilize the revenue from the ESLA for its intended purposes,” he emphasized.