Former President John Dramani Mahama does not appear enthused about the fact that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has succeeded in reducing electricity tariffs for all categories of consumers.
Mr Mahama described the move by President Akufo-Addo’s NPP government – which aims at lessening the financial burden of Ghanaians – as ‘populist’ and accused the government of not adding a single megawatt to the grid since it took over the affairs of the country.
He even predicted that the erratic power supply known in local parlance as ‘dumsor’ that characterised his four-year administration, would return because of the way the NPP government is mismanaging the power sector.
During his recent meeting with opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in the United Kingdom, the former president dared the government to shut down the power plants his government established and see what would happen in the energy sector.
“The way they are going, they are likely to run us into dumsor because of this populist reduction in tariffs,” he predicted in London some few weeks ago when he accompanied some NDC national executives there as part of the party’s efforts to unite the rank and file.
“Take Ameri, switch it off; take Karpower, switch it off; take KTPP, switch it off; take Asogli Phase 2, switch it off and see if Ghana won’t go back to dumsor. We’ll go straight back to dumsor, no curve no bend,” he said amid cheers from the supporters.
Mr Mahama did not understand why the NPP government is thumping its chest over the non-existence of dumsor currently – although the erratic power supply that Ghanaians endured under his regime (thereby collapsing many small businesses) seems to have ended.
Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has already said that the sound and prudent economic policies adopted by the NPP government for the energy sector had ensured that dumsor becomes a thing of the past.
“We have put in the necessary arrangements and mechanisms to ensure that there is no disruption of power. A body like EMOP will help in mitigating and managing whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, but it is our commitment to keep the light on, despite whatever happens,” the minister said at the beginning of the year.
However, Mr. Mahama is not still convinced and appeared to take the credit for the improvements in the system.
“So how could you have solved dumsor?” the former president fired, adding, “Show me one megawatt of power that has been added since NPP assumed office. We had a deficit, and today some of these plants we brought are the most efficient and they are working to ensure that we have power.”
PURC’s Announcement
With the government’s prudent measures, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced a general reduction in electricity tariffs after extensive stakeholders’ consultations in the sector, as well as detailed analysis of proposals tendered in by companies in the power distribution chain.
The average percentage reduction – 15.5 percent for residential, 30 percent for non-residential, 25 percent for SLT and 10 percent for the mines, effective 15th March 2018 – was only on energy consumption.
The NPP government was able to bring down the cost of using power because it succeeded in renegotiating almost all the power purchase agreements signed with private producers at cut-throat prices during the Mahama’s NDC administration.
For instance, when President Mahama and his NDC were leaving office, the Karpowership they brought in was producing at the cost of 16 cents per kilowatt but the NPP government was able to renegotiate a new deal and currently, the same company is charging 10 cents per kilowatt – which is a reduction of about 25%.
Not only the Karpower, but other Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were engaged in renegotiations to get better deals for the people.
Source: Daily Guide
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Incorruptible and God fearing ghanaians ignore and reject this greedy and bitter ***barred word*** but rather rally behind the visionary and competent president Akufo Addo to sustain the good works and Free SHS...
IS THIS MAN NORMAL AT ALL? WAS THE MONEY USED FO R THE PROJECTS FROM YOUR POCKET?FOOLISSH MAN.
DOES THAT MEAN ECG......HAS CLEARED ALL ITS DEBT AND RESOLVED ALL ITS INEFFICIENCIES.....WHY NOT KEEP THE TARIFFS AS THEY WERE MAKE EXCESS FUND'S FOR THE PLAYERS IN THE ENERGY SECTOR......AND MAKE SURE A CHUNK OF THEIR PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED AND BUFFER STOCKS FOR POWER GENERATION ARE CREATED.....IN OTHER TO AVERT DUMSOR FOR EVER........YOU WANT MORE TAXES TO RUN THE COUNTRY EFFECTIVELY AND YOU CUTTING TARIFFS WHICH ARE INSIGNIFICANT.......DON'T ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.
FORMER PRESIDENT PLEASE CONTINUES TO SPEAK THE THROUGH A LIFE WITHOUT CHRIST IS FULL OF CRISIS THEY WILL CONTINUE TO AGAINST YOU ALL THE TIME
Please spare us ur tantrums.Why should d plants u established be shut down;are they ur personal property?When will u learn to talk like a statesman?U don't pay for electricty so ***barred word***.
Empty barrels make the most noise. I rest my case.
Why didn't you shut down the Akosombo Dam, Tema Motorway, N1 Motorway, Jubilee House, NHIS, Capitation Grant, LEAP, etc. policies because you came to meet all of them. What do you understand by continuous governance? NDC and F0oling can never be separated.
Extremely ***barred word*** comments coming from nobody but the person who wants to lead Ghana again after stolen our monies and kept it outside knowing very well that he is covered with 1992 constitution
He doesn't for electricity so i can understand He doesnt know how people lost jobs because of dumsor