President-elect John Dramani Mahama has raised alarm over the precarious state of Ghana’s energy sector, emphasising the need for immediate and transformative reforms to avert potential economic collapse.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Myriam Montrat, on Friday in Accra, Mahama warned of the sector’s fragility and its implications for national stability.
“The energy sector needs urgent surgery; otherwise, it can collapse everything,” Mahama cautioned, highlighting the critical role of energy in sustaining Ghana’s economy.
Mahama criticised the current administration’s approach to economic recovery, pointing to the unresolved $2.5 billion energy sector debt. He argued that this burden undermines the progress purportedly achieved under the government’s $3 billion bailout program.
“You have a $2.5 billion debt; your bailout is only $3 billion, and so $2.5 billion is sitting and breathing, and you say the economy is turning around,” he remarked, casting doubt on the government’s optimistic narrative.
The president-elect pledged that his administration would prioritise energy sector reforms to ensure efficiency, sustainability, and reliable energy supply for all Ghanaians.
Mahama also promised transparency regarding the true state of Ghana’s economy upon taking office, asserting that honest communication would enable citizens to appreciate the necessity of tough but corrective measures.
“We are going to open the books when we come and let Ghanaians know what the true situation is. Because if Ghanaians understand what the true situation is, then they will understand some of the measures we will have to take to bring things back,” he said.
Mahama’s remarks come amid growing concerns over Ghana’s economic challenges, with many awaiting his administration’s proposed solutions to stabilise the energy sector and restore fiscal confidence.