Dumsor Continues: No Solution in Sight!

Back in 2015, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) released a statement demanding a public inquiry into the AMERI Group deal. Several allegations were made regarding the transparency and legitimacy of the agreement. However, upon closer examination of the facts surrounding the issue, it becomes evident that the NPP's call in 2015 for an inquiry is not only unfounded but also politically motivated.

Firstly, the NPP's assertion that the AMERI deal is "murky" and "fraudulent" is based on speculative claims and lacks substantial evidence. The mere allegations raised by a Norwegian newspaper do not constitute sufficient grounds for launching a full-scale inquiry into the agreement. Moreover, the timing of the NPP's demand for an inquiry, amidst the upcoming 2016 elections, reveals their true intentions behind the move, which appears to be nothing more than a decoy to label John Mahama as corrupt, aiming to score political points and secure victory in the 2016 elections.

Additionally, it is on record that Vice President Dr. Bawumia made a statement that "Mahama deserves no credit for solving Dumsor," which contradicts the so-called public inquiry into the AMERI Group deal. Now, it is perplexing to see the NPP's failure to address the current energy crisis, which speaks to the fact that the interest to scrutinize the AMERI deal, which addressed Ghana's power crisis, was unwarranted.

Per Dr. Bawumia’s submission, President John Mahama's administration indeed resolved the Dumsor situation, showing that the call for a public inquiry back in 2015 was frivolous. It is a known fact that President John Mahama brought in additional power plants such as Ameri and Karpower to solve the energy crisis under his tenure, something that Dr. Bawumia’s NPP administration has no clue how to resolve the ongoing Dumsor crisis in Ghana.

Furthermore, the current resurgence of Dumsor in Ghana underscores the urgent need for a stable and reliable electricity supply. The fact that businesses and individuals are once again facing economic hardships due to power outages highlights the failure of the current administration to adequately address the country's energy needs. Instead of focusing on frivolous inquiries, the government should prioritize efforts to improve the country's energy infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted power supply for all Ghanaians.

The NPP's insistence on pursuing an inquiry into the AMERI deal, despite lacking concrete evidence of wrongdoing, reflects a broader pattern of political witch-hunt diversionary tactics to undermine the credibility of President Mahama’s NDC administration and score political points ahead of the 2016 elections.

In retrospect, the NPP's demands for a public inquiry into the AMERI deal were unwarranted and misguided. The public inquiry, which led to the establishment of the so-called committee to investigate the AMERI deal, was nothing more than a political witch hunt and frivolous investigation. Today, Ghanaians are experiencing the Dumsor crisis, and Dr. Bawumia’s NPP government is yet to address it. In the meantime, Dumsor continues with no solution in sight.

Ebenezer Ato Ntarkurfah Jackson, Cornell University, MBA Class of 2015, [email protected]