President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that the country will not return to the dreaded days of erratic power supply, which became popularly known as ‘dumsor’.
According to the president, under his government, electricity is no longer a privilege in Ghana like it was before he came to power.
Akufo-Addo, who made these remarks at the commissioning of a 161-kilovolt GRIDCo, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Bulk Power Supply Point, could not help but jab his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama, who he accused of being responsible for ‘dumsor’.
“Our daily lives, from simple things such as charging our mobile phones, and keeping our electrical appliances working, to operating our offices and businesses, are run by electric power.
“Electricity is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity in this day and age, and we must commit ourselves to working hard to ensure that we achieve universal coverage in this country in order to spur on rapid rates of economic growth,”
“… I wish to reassure you all that my government will continue to work towards “Keeping the Lights on”, in spite of the global dynamics of energy pricing, because the alternative is not an option. We are not going back to dumsor, we leave that to President Mahama,” he said.
On the 161-kilovolt GRIDCo, ECG Bulk Power Supply Point, which was constructed under the Project for the Reinforcement of Power Supply to Accra Central, Akufo Addo said that it (the supply point) would help ensure the heart of the nation, Accra, keeps beating.
“It is evident that the execution of the Accra Central BSP project is consistent with the country’s power needs and development, with a GDP growth rate of up to fifteen per cent (15%) around the time of project preparation,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo continued, “The project we are commissioning today is a one hundred and sixty-one kilo-Volt Bulk Supply Point, which delivers on the government’s commitment to “Keep the Lights On”. It also guarantees stable, reliable and regular supply of electricity for the busy and bustling Accra Central Business District and surrounding areas.”