Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has once again taken a swipe at former President John Mahama over the power outages that plagued his administration.
During a recent session of Parliament’s Government Assurance Committee, Dr Opoku Prempeh humorously referred to the frequent power cuts experienced during Mahama’s tenure as ‘dum dum’, a playful twist on the local term ‘dumsor’.
The Minister emphasized that Ghana has moved beyond the era of prolonged blackouts and intermittent power supply, which was a hallmark of the previous administration. He categorically stated, “We are in the era of ‘dum sie sie,’ a far cry from the erratic power cuts of the past.”
Dr Opoku Prempeh highlighted the stark difference between the power challenges under Mahama’s leadership and the current situation. He insisted that the current power disruptions are not indicative of ‘dumsor’ but rather ‘dum sie sie’, which signifies a deliberate shutdown for maintenance and operational purposes.
In a direct jab at John Mahama, Dr Opoku Prempeh asserted, “Dumsor has only been experienced under His Excellency John Dramani Mahama’s tenure. He is the only President in history who oversaw four years of continuous power outages.”
The Minister explained that the previous administration struggled with insufficient power generation, leading to frequent power cuts, whereas the current government’s approach involves strategic shutdowns for maintenance to improve the overall energy sector’s efficiency.
As Ghanaians grapple with the recent resurgence in power outages, Dr Opoku Prempeh’s remarks underscore the government’s efforts to address the electricity supply challenges in a more structured and proactive manner. The distinction between ‘dumsor’ and ‘dum sie sie’ serves as a reminder of the country’s evolving energy landscape under the current administration.
The Energy Minister’s criticism of Mahama’s handling of the power sector and his defense of the current government’s approach shed light on the ongoing debate surrounding electricity supply in Ghana.
