General News of Friday, 27 February 2015

Source: starrfmonline.com

'Dumsor' deadline: Power Minister alleges sabotage

Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has said he is aware of certain distractive plans being made within certain quarters to frustrate him from meeting his publicly declared deadline for ending the current power crisis, popularly called ‘dumsor'.

The Pru East MP, who put his position in Government on the line by publicly promising to resign if the current power crisis persists beyond 2015 told Ibrahim Alhassan of Starr News in an interview Thursday that: “I know there’s going to be distraction: we are already aware that some distractive moves are being planned, but that will not discourage me.”

Pressed further for details about the sabotage, Dr Donkor said: “…Watch the space: when they come out, you’ll know where they are coming from.”

“I am the Minister for power. I made the promise. I put my neck on the line and I will deliver by the grace of God,” he said.

President John Mahama announced on the floor of Parliament Thursday during his state of the nation address that he will hold Dr Donkor to his word.

Apart from the President, Dr Donkor has also asked Ghanaians to hold him to his word.

“Hold me to my word that by the end of this year, load shedding will not only be over, but I will ensure that load shedding does not recur as it has in the past,” Dr Donkor repeated.

Ghana is currently shedding between 400 and 700 Megawatts of power during off-peak and peak periods respectively.

The crisis has come about as a result of poor water levels in the three hydro-electric power stations, lack of gas flow from the West Africa Gas Pipeline in Nigeria to thermal plants in Ghana for production, as well as the breakdown of some plants.

The crisis is taking a toll on Industry, businesses and domestic consumers.