‘Keep the lights on as we did’ – Herbert Krapa to NDC government

Former Energy Minister Herbert Krapa has called on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to provide an uninterrupted power supply for the people of Ghana.

According to him, the current administration has no excuse for failing to deliver consistent electricity, as the previous government successfully did over the past eight years.

Krapa denied claims by John Jinapor, Co-Chairman of the Transition Team Sub-Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, who suggested that the country had no fuel for power generation for two days.

He emphasized, “As of the time we were leaving office, President Akufo-Addo’s government left in stock light crude oil, which Cenpower currently uses to generate power, while AKSA continues to take delivery of heavy fuel oil for its power generation. This fact can easily be verified with a phone call to both power plants.”

Krapa further stated, “The responsibility of the new administration is not only to procure more liquid fuel to keep the lights on whenever liquid fuel becomes necessary to complement gas supply but also to plan competently to prevent power supply disruptions. We managed to do it, and they can too—if they are capable.”

He urged the NDC government to “get to work as we did, which is why we maintained an uninterrupted power supply for eight years despite difficult circumstances. They should stop the needless finger-pointing because that is not how we kept the lights on.”

Read His Full Statement Below:

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AS WE DID—YOU ARE IN GOVERNMENT

I have read a statement from Hon. John Jinapor (MP), Co-Chairman of the Transition Team Sub-Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in which he claims that “massive load shedding looms as Ghana’s fuel stock depletes” and seeks to blame His Excellency President Akufo-Addo and his government for it.

Mr. Jinapor is wrong. Load shedding does not “loom.” It is caused either by technical or emergency power generation issues or by a lack of competence in managing the power sector. Clearly, Mr. Jinapor seems haunted by the latter.

By the time we left office, President Akufo-Addo’s government had left in stock light crude oil, which Cenpower currently uses to generate power, while AKSA continues to take delivery of heavy fuel oil for its power generation. This fact can easily be verified with a phone call to both power plants.

The responsibility of the new administration is not only to procure more liquid fuel to keep the lights on whenever it becomes necessary to complement gas supply but also to plan competently to prevent power supply disruptions. We managed to do it, and they can too—if they are capable.

The NDC government should get to work as we did. That is the reason we maintained uninterrupted power supply for eight years, regardless of difficult times. They must stop the needless finger-pointing, as that is not how we kept the lights on.

HERBERT KRAPA
FORMER MINISTER FOR ENERGY