Member of Parliament for Suame, John Darko, has challenged the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to maintain stable electricity supply, insisting that the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration kept the country powered and that Ghanaians expect the current government to do the same.
Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points on Saturday, May 2, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker accused the government of failing to ensure stable electricity supply while continuing to burden citizens with additional energy-related costs.
Mr Darko said the current government had a responsibility to ensure stable electricity supply for Ghanaians, especially at a time when citizens continue to pay levies intended to support the energy sector.
“We are paying money, one cedi per litre, for you to keep the power on. You are not keeping the power on,” he stated.
The Suame MP further accused the government of failing to address persistent power interruptions across the country, saying businesses and households were suffering despite assurances that the energy situation was under control.
He pointed to recent outages in his constituency, describing Suame as an industrial hub where artisans and small businesses depend heavily on electricity for their livelihoods.
“You go to my constituency, you go to Suame, and this is an industrial zone. People are sitting by the roads and doing nothing because they don’t have power to do anything,” he said.
Mr Darko claimed that workers such as barbers and artisans were unable to operate because of the recurring outages, adding that ordinary Ghanaians did not have the financial means to rely on generators during blackouts.
He also referenced the recent fire incident at Akosombo, describing the destruction of assets as “highly preventable”.
According to him, it was contradictory for government officials to announce investigations into the incident while the President had already described the fire as “an act of God”.
“The President of the Republic has already come out with his reasons for the fire. He says it’s an act of God. So what else are they going to investigate?” he questioned.
Mr Darko further alleged that independent power producers (IPPs) were owed between $500 million and $700 million despite government claims that payments had been made.
He maintained that Ghanaians were expecting better management of the power sector after the promises made before the government assumed office.
