However, the association contends that there is no short-term solution to the crisis. While pledging its readiness to work with the government to provide power to grow the local industry, the President of AGI, Mr James Asare Adjei, said, “We shouldn’t think that there is a short-term approach in solving this problem. What is very important is to make sure that ministries that are mandated to implement medium to long-term solutions or programmes for the energy challenge in the country actually do their work.”  

 

He told the Daily Graphic that the energy situation had been a very big challenge and was very worrying to industries, especially now that they had to contend with a load-shedding plan.

 

Reacting to President John Mahama’s pledge to fix the energy challenge, he said all the government’s strategic energy plans, as well as the steps to implement them and solutions must be made available to the public or stakeholders. He maintained that it was the only way the country could get out of the cyclical effects of the energy challenges. 

 

“The issue is not the matter of satisfaction but finding a solution now and also in the future. So if programmes and activities that have been lined up will actually bring solutions to the challenges faced, bring power to industries and then businesses can run, we welcome that,” the AGI President said in response to a question on whether they were satisfied with the measures that had so far been put in place to end the energy challenges. 

 

Mixed reactions on ‘dumsor’

 

Meanwhile, some residents in Accra have expressed different opinions on President Mahama’s promise to fix the power crisis facing the country.

 

While some of the people believed that the President could deliver on the promise he made in his State of the Nation Address to Parliament last Thursday to get more power to end the current load shedding, others were of the opinion that it was just political talk.

 

The people, comprising businessmen and women, drivers, security officers and students, spoke in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday.

 

Mr Kankam Osei, a security officer, for his part, said he believed that the President would stand by his word to find a lasting solution to the power crisis.

 

He said being the leader of the country, President Mahama knew the effects of load shedding on Ghanaians and would, therefore, mobilise resources to increase power generation to end the power crisis.

 

“I believe the President can fix the power crisis. He needs a little time. We need to have a little faith,” he said.

 

On the other hand, Mr Richard Churcher, a final-year student of the Accra Training Institute, said the load shedding affected his studies greatly as he was preparing for his final exams, which would begin from April 15, 2015.

 

He said once the President had made the promise, he expected him to take the necessary steps to end the power challenge.

 

Mr Churcher said it was crucial for the President to convince Ghanaians that the promise was not just political talk but that it would be backed by action.

 

Atta Kakra Darko, a businessman, said the load shedding had collapsed businesses, compelling employers to lay off many workers.

 

He also said the President’s promise to fix the ‘dumsor’ was mere rhetoric which would not bring about any results.

 

Atta Kakra said the President talked a lot but undertook little action, and indicated that the recent promise would not be backed by any action.

 

An administrative officer at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle who declined to give his name, said President Mahama had not demonstrated his capacity to end the power crisis.

 

Therefore, he found it difficult to believe the promise made by the President to end it.