General News of Saturday, 2 January 2016

Source: ultimate1069.com

Kumasi residents jubilate over Power Minister’s exit

Credible information reaching Ultimate1069.com indicates that residents in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs in the Ashanti Region are in a joyous mood over the Power Minister Kwabena Donkor’s resignation.

The Region, which is the stronghold of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), is suspected to be one of the most regions in the country which has suffered power outages popularly termed as ‘Dumsor’ since the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration took power from the former.

The news of the Power Minister’ resignation was a sigh of relief for residents in the region, saying their electricity situation will improve with a new person coming on board.

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) on Wednesday disclosed on Ultimate breakfast that about 70% of Kumasi residents slept in total darkness as a result of explosions at their substations.

Mr. Donkor, who fulfilled his promise of laying down his tools, if ‘Dumsor’ does not become a thing of the past, did the honest by tendering in his resignation letter to the President on New Year’s Eve yesterday Thursday.

Speaking to Ultimate1069.com, some residents expressed satisfaction that the Minister is no more handling the power crisis that has bedeviled the nation over the years.

They expressed hope that the person who will be appointed will ensure that Ghanaians do not suffer ‘Dumsor’, adding that they will be told the truth about issues of power generation.

Some of the people in cold storage business lamented that they have been battling with electricity as their frozen fish, sausages, pork, chicken and red meat always gone sour.

‘We buy the meat, poultry, fish at high cost and we wake up to see them gone bad due to ‘Dumsor’, all our fridges have been destroyed. We don’t make any profits from our sales and our bankers are always on our backs for their monies, we are unable to save monies to pay our children’s school fees,’ they bemoaned.

The expressed hope that the next Power Minister to be appointed will ensure that the country’s electricity situation is changed for the better, and that they will have value for their monies.

A drinking spot owner Kwasi Amankwaa explained that he had lost most of his customers due to the intermittent power supply.

‘I am very happy that he has resigned, he couldn’t solve our power problems as he promised, my customers complain that I don’t sell cold drinks to them,’ he said.

A resident at Santasi a suburb of Kumasi Madam Yaa Pokuaa said it is a good sign that the Minister has willing resigned, saying he would have faced the wrath of Ghanaians if he had not done the honourable thing.

‘President Mahama should appoint people, who will walk the talk and not the other way round,’ he appealed.

Ama Bonsu said the Minister has realized that the power challenges confronting the country is beyond his prowess.

The Power Minister in a statement this Wednesday announced that ‘Dumsor’ has ended, but in a counter interview on Ultimate breakfast, the Chief Executive Officer of GRIDCo, William Amuna said ‘Dumsor’ is not over.