Dumsor Is Slowing Down The Economy –Minority

Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin

The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns about Ghana’s worsening power crisis, known as “dumsor.” They warn that ongoing outages are hurting businesses and slowing economic growth.

During a press conference on May 19, 2025, members of the Minority Caucus on the Energy Committee spoke out. They said these electricity challenges undermine the government's vision for a 24-hour economy.

“Dumsor is slowing down the economy,” they stated. “Businesses are collapsing, and the private sector cannot operate in darkness.” They questioned how essential services like hospitals and factories can function with frequent power cuts.

The Minority criticized Energy Minister John Jinapor for his recent statements. He claimed Ghana had only “2.6 days of fuel” left for power generation. The Minority called these remarks misleading and damaging to investor confidence.

“Such statements create panic among businesses recovering from COVID-19,” they said. “Power is vital for industry, and reckless comments from the Minister are unacceptable.” They accused him of using "panic-then-retreat" tactics in communication.

They referenced a previous claim by Jinapor during the President’s swearing-in ceremony. He had said Ghana had only five hours of fuel left but later retracted it.

“The Minister must stop frightening Ghanaians,” urged the Minority. “This is not a time for political theatrics; it’s time to fix the problems.”

The Minority acknowledged past challenges with power supply under the NDC government from 2012 to 2016. They noted that legacy debts and take-or-pay contracts plagued the sector then.

However, since 2017, they say the NPP government has improved energy supply significantly. The NPP added 1,600 MW of power between 2017 and 2024 through various projects.

These projects include TT2PP, Amandi, Bui Solar, and Laura/Kaleo Solar. Investments also expanded access to electricity to 88.85% of the population.

“Yet today, under this same administration, we face dumsor again,” stated the Minority. “It’s tragic irony that today’s generation suffers what their parents did a decade ago.”

The Caucus presented a seven-point action plan demanding immediate intervention from the Energy Minister to resolve this crisis:

1. Resolve fuel supply issues for Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
2. Renegotiate burdensome take-or-pay contracts.
3. Improve revenue collection at ECG and NEDCO.
4. Fix the Cash Waterfall Mechanism.
5. Diversify energy sources through renewables.
6. Promote off-peak industrial consumption.
7. Accelerate smart meter rollout.

They emphasized leveraging recent gains in cedi appreciation to recover financial losses in energy supply.

“Leadership is about solutions, not excuses,” they asserted. “Ghanaians are paying 14.75% more in tariffs this year; they deserve reliable power.”

The MPs warned that Ghanaians' patience is wearing thin amid ongoing outages. Without urgent measures, prolonged power cuts could return.

They concluded by reaffirming their commitment to hold the government accountable so Ghanaians do not endure another cycle of darkness.