General News of Thursday, 12 December 2019

Source: mynewsgh.com

John Jinapor speaks on why the energy sector is crippling

Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu in the Savannah Region and Member of  Parliament Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu in the Savannah Region and Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu in the Savannah Region and Member of Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, John Abdulai Jinapor has blamed the challenges in the energy sector on interference and mismanagement by the Akufo-Addo-led administration.

“The mismanagement and political interference by the Akufo-Addo led Government in the sector is gradually crippling the energy sector of this country,” he asserted in a statement followed the beginning of a strike action by staff of the Ghana Grid Company on Wednesday

The former Deputy Minister of Power under President John Mahama’s administration argues that the government inability to retire debts it owes various entities in the energy sector despite having received funds is what has resulted in the financial challenges in the sector, which could plunge the country into darkness if not resolved expeditiously.

Staff of GRIDCo which had warned that it would embark upon a strike action if debts owed it by government was not paid, started its sit-down strike today, promising to escalate it to an outright strike if nothing is done.

Government had assured GRIDCo that it would pay outstanding debts, but has failed to do so forcing the workers to carry through with their threats.

Mr Jinapor insists that government has generated enough revenue through taxes and other levies to be able to defray its debts but have mismanaged the funds.