Minority Casts Doubt on Mahama's 24-Hour Economy over Worsening Power Crisis

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has launched a blistering attack on Energy Minister John Jinapor, accusing him of fear-mongering and failing to address Ghana’s worsening power crisis.

The caucus has also cast serious doubt on the feasibility of President John Dramani Mahama’s flagship 24-hour economy initiative amidst the ongoing electricity outages.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Monday, May 19, the Ranking Member of the Energy Committee and Member of Parliament for Asene-Akroso-Manso, Hon. George Kwame Aboagye, described the Minister’s recent claim that Ghana had only “2.6 days of fuel left” as “reckless, baseless, and economically damaging.”

“Such alarmist comments create panic, weaken investor confidence, and distract from the real work that needs to be done. Ghanaians are tired of fear tactics—they want the lights fixed,” Aboagye stated.

He likened the recent spate of power outages to the infamous 2012–2016 “dumsor” era, warning that the situation is crippling the very sectors that the 24-hour economy policy seeks to rely on.

“How can a 24-hour economy thrive when we can’t guarantee 24 minutes of uninterrupted power? What we’re experiencing isn’t progress—it’s a 24-hour blackout,” he said.

The Minority pointed to a pattern of contradictory public statements from the Energy Ministry, referencing the Minister’s earlier “five hours of fuel” comment during the presidential swearing-in, which was later walked back.

“This panic-then-retract communication is unacceptable. Ghanaians deserve leadership that is clear, competent, and accountable,” Aboagye added.

Contrasting the current state of affairs with what they termed “gains made under the NPP between 2017 and 2024,” the Minority highlighted key achievements, including the addition of 1,600 megawatts of generation capacity, major transmission infrastructure projects, and the clearing of inherited energy sector debts exceeding $2 billion.

“When the NPP took over, we inherited a mess—crippling take-or-pay contracts and an unstable grid. But we got to work. No excuses. That’s what leadership looks like,” Aboagye noted.

He also criticized the disconnect between rising electricity tariffs and poor service delivery, citing the recent 14.75% hike in power prices.

“Consumers are paying more but getting less. Businesses are collapsing. The patience of the Ghanaian people is wearing thin,” he warned. “The government’s honeymoon is over. It’s time to deliver.”

The Minority issued a seven-point action plan, urging the government to:

Resolve fuel supply issues for Independent Power Producers (IPPs);

Renegotiate unsustainable take-or-pay contracts;

Improve revenue collection at ECG and NEDCO;

Fully implement the Cash Waterfall Mechanism;

Diversify the energy mix with renewables and domestic gas;

Encourage industrial off-peak energy consumption; and

Accelerate the rollout of smart meters to combat power theft.

They further called on the Energy Minister to seek technical support if needed and avoid signing what they described as “more dubious deals” while making “empty promises.”

“The return of dumsor is unacceptable. Ghanaians need action—not just talk,” the Minority stressed, vowing to hold the government accountable as it pursues ambitious economic goals.