Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has once again criticised former President John Mahama for the erratic power outages that occurred during his administration.
He jokingly referred to the phenomenon at the time as ‘dum dum’, a play on the local term for power outages, known as ‘dumsor’.
This criticism arises amid a resurgence in electricity supply problems, which has become a cause of concern among Ghanaians.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh aka NAPO
This issue came up during Parliament’s Government Assurance Committee sitting on May 3, 2024.
As part of his response, the Minister responded that “we have gone past the era where we have 72 to 96 days of lights out and six hours of light on. We are the era of “dum sie sie” which is profoundly different from dumsor.”
He explained that during former President John Mahama’s tenure, one major characteristic was erratic power supply, but this duration the case was different.
Read also: Energy Minister denies return of ‘Dumsor’ as he dismisses calls for timetable
“Dumsor as inflicted on Ghanaians has only happened as characterised His Excellency John Dramani Mahama’s governance.
“He is the only President on record that for four years that he reigned, for four years that he ruled, for four years that he governed dum dum dum,” he added.
Addressing the committee members, Dr Opoku Prempeh insisted that the erratic power supply the country was experiencing was not “dumsor” but “dum sie sie.”
According to him, Mr Mahama’s version was far more erratic because there was inadequate power to keep the lights on consistently.
However, “dum sie sie” implies that the lights go off so that maintenance work and other activities within the energy sector can be carried out.
Source: Connielove Mawutornyo Dzodzegbe
The New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced his plan to amend the Minerals Act if he wins the upcoming presidential elections.
He emphasised that the proposed amendment would incorporate the Chiefs into the mineral licensing process, ensuring their involvement before any miner can obtain a license to operate in a given area.
Dr Bawumia said this when he addressed the Western Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday during his Western Regional campaign tour.
He identified the lack of involvement of traditional authorities in mining licensing as a significant issue facing the Small-Scale Mining Sector.
As a solution, he proposed to amend the Minerals Act to include Chiefs in his mining industry formalization programme if he became President.
He stated, “We want to formalise small-scale mining, but we cannot be successful without the participation of Chiefs. The chiefs have to be part of the licensing of miners in their locality. They have to be part of the whole process. And so, we have to make the necessary amendments to the Mining Act to do all of this. Decentralise the Mineral Commission to be in the various districts, decentralise the Environmental Protection Agency.”
Series of capacity-building and training workshops, have been organized for mining affected communities in seven(7) mining affected regions in Ghana; namely Bono, Western, Ashanti, Western North, Ahafo, Central and Eastern.
The training workshops brought together various stakeholders in the communities including youth, women, girls, traditional leaders, Civil society organizations, women groups, farmers, Assembly and Unit Committee members, religious leaders, mine workers, media and government institutions such as CHRAJ, NCCE, MMDAs Staff, MOFA, Dept of Social Welfare and Ghana Health Service.
The project was organized by Livelihood & Environment Ghana -LEG in partnership with Third World Network-Africa under the Power of Voices in Fair for All Project with financial support from Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The training built participants capacity on their rights as citizens when it comes to mineral exploitation.
They were also abreast with the various legal reforms on compensation and resettlement such as the right to prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation and better resettlement package (Article 20 clause 2a of 1992 Constitution), right to training and recruitment (Section 50 (1,3) of the Minerals and Mining Act 703), right to respect (UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights 2011), access to equitable sharing of financial and developmental benefits (Minerals and Mining Policy Ghana, 2014).
According Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku, Environmental Scientist and Human Rights Activist and resource person for the training indicated that both Article 20 (2a) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and Section 73 (1), Minerals and Mining Act 703 (Act 703, 2006) mandate companies to exercise prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation to persons whose properties (buildings, crops and land would be affected by mining operations.
“Again, Mining Regulation 2012 Compensation and Resettlement Regulation L.I 2175 section 4 (2) also mandates companies to pay property owners within three months after an amount of compensation have been agreed by parties and defaulted companies are legally mandated to pay 10 percent interest anytime compensation remains unpaid.
He said Section 100 (1), Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703, 2006) and UN Guiding Principle on Business and Human Rights (2011), compel governments and the regulatory agencies to ensure proper implementation and companies’ compliance with the mining laws including respect for human rights.
The training also built the participants capacity on how they could get adequate compensation from their crops, land and properties that may be destroyed by mining companies.
Among the models to enhance adequate compensation highlighted by the Resource Person include “Good pricing (Abochi price), Application of Compensation principles in section 74 of the Minerals and Mining Acts (Act 703, 2006) which include savage cost, deprivation of use, loss of earnings, loss of expected income, life expectancy of the crop and benefits that cannot be assessed in monetary terms such as scholarships for children, access to loan facilities, prestige, access to desired partner (wife or husband) etc.
Mr. Adjei-Poku emphasized that, Ghana is blessed with a lot of mineral resources such as gold, Bauxite, iron ore, manganese, diamond, Oil and other industrial minerals such as limestone, brown clay, silica, sand, salt, quartz and others. Ghana now is the largest producer of gold in the sub-Saharan Africa.
Contribution from the mineral sector particular oil and gold cannot be under-estimated. Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd alone in the first quarter of 2023 paid 843.72 million Ghana Cedis in taxes, royalties and levies to the Government of Ghana through Ghana Revenue Authority (Daily Graphic, page 44, February 2, 2024).
Unfortunately, excessive exploitation of our mineral resources has not translated in the lives of the people of Ghana (African Mining Vision, 2009).
The minerals sector according to CHRAJ Report (2008) titled “Experience from Ghana on Mining and its Impact on Human Rights” revealed that, the sector is the highest human rights violator.
The report disclosed violent, illegal arrest, and detention of community members. Torture of persons illegally arrested and detained.
The report also revealed assaults, battery and interference, inadequate compensation of properties destroyed, health problems, unacceptable alternative livelihood projects, reckless spillage of cyanide and unfulfilled promises of employment, destruction and pollution of communities’ water bodies leading to biodiversity loss among others.
In spite of the CHRAJ intervention and interventions and efforts by many Civil Society Organizations including National Coalition on Mining (NCOM), Third World Network-Africa, Ghana Network on Environment, Society and Corporate Accountability (GHANESCA), STAR Ghana Foundation, Livelihood & Environment Ghana (LEG) among others, the abuses mentioned above are continuously taking place in the communities affected by mining operations; Mr. Adjei-Poku stated.
Photography of one of the workshops
LEG is a research and advocacy Not-for-profit and Non-governmental organization established in 2004 (20 yrs old) to promote community rights and minerals governance, Provide sustainable livelihood skills for marginalized persons in society and promote environmental sustainability including climate change awareness creation and education and biodiversity conservation.
LEG operates mainly in seven regions in Ghana namely Bono, Ashanti, Central, Western, Ahafo, Western North and Eastern. The organization since 2004 has been operating with voluntary staff and community volunteers.
A credible information reaching our news desk indicates that small-scale miners, who operate their activities within the Bekwai Municipality, Obuasi East District and Adansi Asokwa District of the Ashanti Region, have threatened to vote against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming 2024 general election if one Aboagye, who claims to be a Contractor, is not called to order.
According to the teeming small-scale miners who have over 10,000 workers in their mining sites, the said Aboagye has allegedly connived with some police officers within the Ashanti South Region and some group of journalists within the Adansi enclaves to regularly visit their sites to intimidate and harass them.
File picture
Based on our source, the said Aboagye claims to have been authorised by the ministries of Lands & Natural Resources, and Sanitation & Water Resources to protect the river bodies within the Amansie and the Adansi enclaves.
The miners claim that the accused person has deliberately adopted these strategies to cripple and collapse their small-scale mining businesses.
According to the aggrieved miners, the actions and inaction of Aboagye are killing the popularity of the NPP in the area, while the leadership of the party and government officials look on unconcerned.
They have, therefore, served a notice to both the Ashanti regional NPP secretariat and the national executives of NPP to sit up as regards the matter, else they will all vote against them in the 2024 polls.
A number of aggrieved miners who spoke to our news team reminded NPP officials to take a cue from what happened in the 2020 general election which has almost led to a hung Parliament as a result of NPP losing several seats in mining areas because of a similar harassment and intimidation against miners.
They said it would, therefore, be in the best interest of NPP leadership in the Ashanti Region to take a keen interest to call Aboagye to order.
They are also calling on the ministries of Lands & Natural Resources, and Sanitation & Water Resources to come out clear about the behaviour of said Aboagye in the area.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that the recent erratic power supply plaguing the country has been effectively addressed.
Addressing attendees at the annual May Day celebration in Accra, the President expressed optimism that the challenges, famously termed “dumsor,” are now a thing of the past.
He extended gratitude to the citizens for their patience and cooperation during the trying times.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Ghanaians for their patience and understanding during recent temporary challenges with electricity supply across the country.
“Over the period, the issues surrounding transformers and gas supply have been successfully resolved resulting in sufficient improvement in power supply reliability,” the president said.
“Indeed, over the past few days, we have witnessed stable electricity supply across the country with no load-shedding reported anywhere yesterday.”
“For the past seven years we have worked tirelessly to keep the lights on and I am confident that the unfortunate era of dumsor will not return,” he source:Citi Newsroom
The Minority in Parliament has noted with utter shock and dismay the Rambo-style with which the Ashanti Regional Minister ordered for the arrest of Ing. Mark Wiafe Asumani, the Ashanti Regional Area Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana, following the disconnection of power to the Kumasi Technical University as a results of the University’s inability to settle its outstanding debt of GHC 1.2 million owed to ECG.
The NDC minority in Parliament wishes to condemn this abuse of power demonstrated by the Regional Minister.
We wish to state unequivocally that the Minister has no business interfering with the work of ECG with such level arrogance. The Minister is quoted by credible media outlets of having admitted to this role in the arrest and detention of Mr. Wiafe. His reason was that he had earlier requested the ECG to notify him anytime the former intended to disconnect power to any public university in his region. This, according to him, was not complied with, hence, his instructions to the police to arrest and detain the ECG MD in the Ashanti Region. This is condemnable and regrettable to say the least.
John Abdulai Jinapor
It is now incontrovertibly established that the current load shedding (Dumsor) and unreliable supply of power to Ghanaians is as a result of the unreliable supply of power, and this is solely caused by the AkuffoAddo/Bawumia led NPP government inability to procure fuel for the nations available thermal plants.
Rather than chasing and causing the arrest of innocent ECG workers, the Minister must direct his frustration and anger at his own government particularly, Dr. Mahamoud Bawumiah who has supervised the mess done to Ghana’s economy.
Indeed, Ghana’s economy and its fundamentals are in a serious crisis to the extent that the Ghanaian Cedi is currently trading at GHS14 $1. This is having a multiplier effect on other economic indicators like the debt situation, and further exacerbating the energy sector challenges.
We, the minority, by this statement, wish to call on President Akuffo-Addo to call Mr. Osei Mensah to order immediately. Ghanaians will not tolerate such unruly and despotic behaviour from the Ashanti Regional Minister.
In fact if there is anybody to be arrested, it should be the Ashanti Regional for his monumental failure as the administrative head of the region.
We wish to assure all ECG staff and the general workers union that the Minority is solidly behind them and will not renege in our quest to ensure that justice is served them at all material times as they undertake their constitutionally mandated duty. We wish to caution the Ashanti Regional Minister and all his colleagues in government to stop intimidating genuine workers for doing their work and ensure that they fix the broken economy.
Thank you.
-Signed-
Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor-MP
(Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee)
After what organisers and patrons described as a successful Kumasi edition, plans are underway to bring the Dumsor Vigil to the capital city, Accra.
Explaining the reason behind the decision to replicate the vigil that took place in Kumasi on April 17, 2024, Henry Osei Akoto, one of the leaders of the protest, said it is not enough to have only Kumasi featured.
He explained that moving the vigil around is meant to mount further pressure on the government, and to bring its attention to the debilitating effects of the power outages on businesses and livelihoods.
He added that the group will soon mobilize Ghanaians to protest against the erratic power supply commonly known as Dumsor.
“We will mobilise Ghanaians on the streets soon if you don’t resolve dumsor; the inconveniences are just too much.
“You promised Ghanaians you were going to give us an uninterrupted power supply; see where you’ve brought us,” he said.
The Dumsor Vigil is organized by Ashanti Democrats, led by Jerry James Sukkah.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Former Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah says the comment by Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo that the Energy Minister is the only person to order for the publication of a “dumsor” timetable is an attempt to derail the Minister’s opportunity to become Running Mate to the NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to Bernard Mornah, the Akyem mafia in the NPP is against the Energy Minister because he blocked their shady deals and for that, they plot to ruin his chances of ascending the party’s hierarchy.
Bernard Mornah
“Why would Osafo-Maafo say this at this material point in time? I think it is meant to scuttle the chances of the Energy Minister in the Running Mate agenda because they don’t like him”, he said to Berla Mundi on TV3.
He continued; “Clearly the likes of Osafo-Maafo want to shift the blame on Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh just because he is in contention in the NPP Running Mate agenda. For me, there is a higher authority and that higher authority is not Matthew Opoku Prempeh” to bring out the timetable.
Mr. Mornah’s response comes on the heels of the Senior Advisor to the President, Yaw Osafo-Maafo’s call on the Energy Minister to publish a load-shedding timetable and a similar demand from the Executive Director of IES, Nana Amoasi who says the Minister needs to be removed from office.
Mr. Mornah described the calls as not being in good faith but rather a political agenda solely against the Energy Minister.Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, 24th April 2024, in a momentous ceremony held in Kaleo, officially inaugurated phase two of the Kaleo Solar Power Plant, marking another significant stride in Ghana’s renewable energy journey.
With a capacity of fifteen megawatts peak (15MWp), this addition underscores Ghana’s commitment to harnessing clean energy sources and building a sustainable future for generations to come.
Addressing a gathering of dignitaries, chiefs, and community members, President Akufo-Addo emphasized the importance of renewable energy in driving economic growth, mitigating climate change, and ensuring energy security for all citizens.
He praised the collective efforts of stakeholders, including the Chiefs and people of the Nadowli-Kaleo traditional area, the German Government, the Volta River Authority (VRA), and project contractors, for their invaluable contributions to the successful completion of the project.
The President highlighted the strategic significance of Kaleo as a hub for renewable energy development, citing its rich natural resources and potential to attract investment and spur innovation in the region.
He reiterated Government’s commitment to incentivizing green investments, promoting energy efficiency, and prioritizing the development of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power projects as key strategies for the nation’s energy sector growth.
Phase two of the Kaleo Solar Power Plant not only adds fifteen megawatts of clean energy to the national grid but also improves the quality of power supply in the Upper West Region. Furthermore, it is estimated to reduce national carbon emissions by nearly 8,917 tonnes, contributing to Ghana’s efforts to combat climate change and fulfill its international commitments. It will also promote practical studies in the development of solar power by the Technical Universities in the northern part of the country.
President Akufo-Addo reiterated Government’s commitment to invest continuously in the electricity transmission network, to enable the country to evacuate more renewable energy through the national grid to support the extension of electricity to all parts of the country.
“It is our intention to attain full electricity access by the end of this year, up from the current rate of eighty-eight-point-eight percent (88.8%),” he stated.
The President continued, “I expect that, with this project in this community, corporate social responsibility programmes for Kaleo and its environment will be enhanced through the provision of social amenities by the appropriate authorities, including VRA.”
President Akufo-Addo expressed optimism about Ghana’s energy future, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and collective action in achieving sustainable development goals. He urged all stakeholders to uphold effective maintenance management practices to ensure the longevity and efficiency of renewable energy infrastructure, reaffirming his government’s dedication to building a brighter, greener future for all Ghanaians.
“By investing in renewable energy infrastructure, we are securing a reliable source of electricity and creating new opportunities for economic growth and job creation. This plant will not only power homes and businesses, but also serve as a catalyst for development in the Upper West Region, attracting investment and spurring innovation,” he added.
The President told the gathering that Government is implementing a series of policies and measures to incentivise green investments, foster a culture of energy efficiency, and prioritise the development of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power projects as key strategies for the growth of the energy sector in the country.
“The vision, however, is not only to be energy self-sufficient, but also to set the stage for Ghana to emerge as an eco-friendly country in the Region, inspiring neighbouring countries to follow suit in their pursuit of a greener, more energy-technology-centred future,” he added.
Kofi Abrefa Afena, the spokesperson for the Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has rejected the call by Nana Amoasi VII, the Executive Director of the Institute of Energy Security (IES), for the removal of his boss, in light of the current erratic power supply, popularly known as “dumsor” in Ghana.
Afena labeled the call as being “borne out of ignorance,” emphasizing that it’s inaccurate for Amoasi to claim that the minister is out of touch with reality.
“Dr. Prempeh is not the talk too much type but believes in results. Nana Amoasi has no idea the sleepless nights of the Minister aimed at addressing the current challenges,” Abrefa said in a statement.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh aka NAPO
Kofi Abrefa contends that the current challenges are being resolved, and soon the results will be visible for all to see.
“He [Amoasi] says the matter needs swift intervention, but I struggle to appreciate the logic in Amoasi’s position of removing the minister. When Kwabena Donkor resigned over the pervasive Dumsor under John Mahama, did it necessarily solve the matter? Amoasi should get serious. It is all about solutions. Dr. Prempeh continues to work with the technical people to find amicable solutions,” he added.
The Energy Minister’s spokesperson reiterated his boss’ quest for forbearance from the Ghanaian people as stakeholders continue to work assiduously to solve the temporary challenges.
Nana Amoasi VII had stated that the energy sector is currently lacking effective leadership.
He thus advocated for the appointment of a new leader to address the ongoing challenges.
The country has been grappling with frequent power outages in recent times, prompting widespread calls from Ghanaians for a structured timetable to manage these disruptions.
In an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Monday, April 22, Nana Amoasi VII expressed his dissatisfaction with the current Energy Minister’s performance, suggesting that he should be relieved of his duties due to his perceived unsuitability for the role.
He condemned the Minister’s alleged disrespect towards the concerns of Ghanaians, deeming it unacceptable and intolerable.
“Today the power sector or the energy sector appears shepherdless. You don’t see a leader who is standing up to the issues, accepting them as they are and seeking to address them while calling for cooperation from Ghanaians.
“We have been asking for a timetable for quite a long time. The PURC intervened as an arbiter between the utilities and consumers and asked the ECG to provide one unfortunately the Minister of Energy [tells] all of us including the PURC to produce a timetable if we need one and why we wish the country evil by asking for a load shedding timetable.”
