Energy Minister denies labelling Tamale residents as power thieves

On Monday, April 28, Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, denied claims on social media. These claims alleged he called 70% of Tamale residents power thieves.

In a press statement this morning, Mr. Jinapor labeled the reports as “entirely false.” He urged the public to ignore such claims.

He stated, “The audio-visual recordings will confirm that at no point during my visit did I refer to people of Tamale as power thieves.”

Mr. Jinapor clarified his actual comments about high Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses in the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) region.

He noted these losses are the highest in the area and cause frequent power outages.

“For clarity,” he said, “technical and collection losses do not indicate power theft.” Instead, they show inefficiencies within the utility company.

The Minister emphasized urgent reforms are needed in Tamale's power sector. He called for significant investments and improved operational efficiency to address ongoing challenges.

He stressed that better revenue collection and technical operations are crucial for reliable power supply in Tamale.

Mr. Jinapor’s call aims to enhance energy service delivery across Northern regions.

In closing, he reaffirmed his respect for the people of Tamale. He described them as his kinsmen.

“Let me assure the chiefs, elders, and people of Tamale of my utmost respect,” he said. “I will never use derogatory words to describe my kinsmen.”

His strong rebuttal seeks to maintain community trust while addressing technical issues in energy distribution.