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Mensah Thompson, the executive director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), says the Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, cannot solve the problem in the energy sector.

According to Thompson, Napo will rather “mess up” the sector.

Speaking on Asaase Rdio Tuesday (18 May) about the current power crisis, Thompson said, “No amount of encouragement can help Napo [Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh]. Napo cannot solve the problem in the energy sector, no amount of encouragement can help him …

“As for Napo, I don’t know why they took him to the Energy Ministry, honestly. He’s going to mess up the sector. He has no idea why he is there.”

Speaking about the energy sector under the theme “Delivering Reliable and Affordable Power” at a press briefing organised by the Ministry of Information on Sunday (16 May) – one of a series of presentations by government ministers – Dr Prempeh said the New Patriotic Party-led government has saved Ghana US$2.761 billion in unnecessary expenditure through the power sector alone since 2019.

Regarding the 46-plus power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed by the previous government with independent power producers (IPPs), the minister said the government had managed to get some of them deferred.

Opoku Prempeh said the savings made by deferring agreements with Early Power, Jacobsen Power Ltd and Rotan are significant, and set the tone for a more sustainable energy sector financial management framework.

“We have made savings on deferment of three PPAs amounting to US$1.426 billion since 2019,” he said. Each deferred agreement was worth $475.5 million.

The total saving was sufficient to build 62 facilities the size of the Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale, he added.

What excess?
But Thompson said such comments by the Energy Minister would not help solve the current power crisis.

“When I hear of such arguments [as excess capacity], I get angry.

“Why are you telling us that you have signed an agreement, purchased power we don’t use? We have excess capacity but we are sleeping in darkness.”