According to a post on GhOne TV's official Twitter feed, President-elect John Dramani Mahama has accused the outgoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of gross mismanagement of Ghana's energy industry. Addressing stakeholders in Accra, Mahama alleged that the NPP administration kept the lights on at the expense of long-term financial management, resulting in the buildup of massive debt in the sector.

"The NPP government has severely mismanaged the energy industry. They kept the lights on, but they did so by incurring tremendous debt. So far, we have audited $2.5 billion in arrears. This burden was left for all of us to bear," Mahama explained. He explained that this level of financial mismanagement has damaged the energy industry, caused uncertainty for Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and compelled the government to choose short-term remedies over long-term solutions. According to the president-elect, the legacy debt acquired from the NPP must be addressed immediately to avoid disruptions in energy supplies.



Mahama emphasised his commitment to implementing changes that will restore fiscal stability and operational efficiency to the energy industry. He emphasised that his government will focus on renegotiating contracts, investigating renewable energy options, and re-engaging important development partners, such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation, in order to attract investments and achieve long-term sector growth.

His remarks created a discourse on social media, and here are some comments I gathered from citizens:

"Acquiring this much debt is frightening. It's time for transparency and accountability in the energy industry."

"The NPP should explain how $2.5 billion had accumulated in arrears. "This is unacceptable."

"I hope Mahama delivers on his promises and doesn't just leave us in the same cycle of debt and crisis."

"Keeping the lights on at such a high expense makes no sense. "We need long-term solutions."

"It's regrettable that every government inherits a disaster. Mahama has a lot to fix, and I hope he succeeds."

"Ghanaians deserve better. "It is time for genuine energy reforms."