The New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration will “work extremely hard” to ensure the country does not descend into another power crisis (dumsor) within its first year while exploring avenues for stable, affordable production of power for homes and industry, Energy Minister-designate Boakye Agyarko has assured.

According to him, the NPP has committed to putting “our energy sector in shape”, for which reason he would put in his best efforts, should he be approved for the portfolio by parliament, to ensure Ghanaians enjoy “stable, affordable power” to aid their “social lives” and improve the “efficiency” of industries “to generate the necessary jobs, particularly for our young people”.

Mr Agyarko was addressing journalists shortly after being named by President Akufo-Addo at the seat of government on Tuesday January 10.

“We are committing ourselves to making sure that dumsor does not plague us within the year. But there is more than dumsor – we have to make sure that we store enough reserve capacity in this system. We have to make sure that energy is produced affordably [for] industry particularly,” he explained.

Mr Agyarko further noted that Ghana’s industries are “in competition” with those in neighbouring countries, hence the need to “stay competitive in order for them to be profitable to generate the jobs”.