General News of Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Source: Today Newspaper

Nduom blasts gov’t over energy crisis

President of Groupe Nduom, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, has observed that what Ghana needs at the moment in solving her energy crisis is “solutions and not myriad of promises.” Dr. Nduom, who was not a bit enthused about last week’s banner headline of the state-owned newspaper, The Ghanaian Times; “More power is coming,” after the visit of an American energy company, GE Power, called on the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC)government to step up in its effort to resolve the energy crisis. “That banner headline on Ghanaian Times was misleading, and untrue considering what goes into power generation,” Dr. Nduom asserted. While the business magnate believed the problem was a national issue, he advised President John Dramani Mahama against making promises with energy, but instead work towards finding a lasting solution to the problem. “How can you say more power is coming when you have not done the necessary feasibility studies about how the problem will be solved?” he quizzed. Dr. Nduom, who was one-time a Minister of Energy in the erstwhile Kufuor administration, could not understand how more power could come soon when nothing had been done . The president of Groupe Nduom was continuing his interactive discussions with viewers and listeners on wide range of national issues on Ghana, Great and Strong (GGS) last week Saturday. The programme- Ghana, Great and Strong- is a non-partisan programme broadcast every Saturday from 7:00 P.M., to 8:00 P.M., on Ghana’s premier internet-based radio, www.hedjorleonlineradio.com. And one of the issues that the business mogul engaged listeners and viewers on was the current energy situation and the way forward. He pointed out that solving the energy problem required a collective and nationalistic approach devoid of partisanship.

He noted that Ghanaians need power now and not tomorrow to help boost the economy which is dwindling.

“The ruling government must ensure that there is constant supply of energy and that is what Ghanaians need and not misinformation,” Dr. Nduom said.

According to him, the solution to Ghana’s energy problem was not far-fetched and that the ruling NDC should open up to suggestions to help bring a closure to the problem.

The magnitude of the problem, he said, if not checked now would bring economic activity in the country to a halt.

Caller by caller and those who contributed to the programme via text messages could not help but support the position of Dr. Nduom. For instance, Ms. Asiedu Baah from Prampram in the Greater Accra region advised President Mahama to invite people like Dr. Nduom to come and help him solve the energy problem.

“President Mahama must be bold to invite those who are not in his party like Dr. Nduom to assist him to solve this national problem else…,” she said.