Energy Crisis: Parliament Praises Govt

... Commends gov't for inflicting darkness on Ghanaians -NDC
PARLIAMENT by majority vote of 104-60, yesterday, adopted the motion to commend government’s plan to generate more power to end the energy crisis.

This was after the House had concluded debate on two opposing motions on the energy crisis before it.

The majority motion commended government, while the Minority motion expressed disappointment at government’s handling of the energy crisis.

The Minority leader, Alban Bagbin, had called for the head count after the first Deputy Speaker, Freddie Blay, who was in the chair had put the question which was adopted by voice count.

The call for the head count brought to the fore, the power of the whips in "whipping up" members into the chamber for the all important exercise.

The convention People’s Party, the Peoples National Convention and the Independent members of Parliament voted in favour of the Majority.

Although the Majority carried the vote reflecting the decision of Parliament, Mr Bagbin seconding the motion to adjourn proceedings remarked "the decision of the house is to commend government for inflicting darkness on Ghanaians."

Earlier, Haruna Iddrisu (NDC-Tamale South) and Alhaji Amadu Sorogho (NDC-Abokobi/Madina), sponsors of the original motion wound up the contribution for the Minority side with Joseph Boahen-Aidoo (NPP-Amenfi East) and Joseph Kofi Adda (NPP-Navrongo Central), Minister of Energy winding up for the majority.

Alhaji Sorogho said the government on assumption of power neglected the previous regime’s policy of incremental Thermal complementation which led to the crisis.

Mr Iddrisu commended Members of Parliament for appreciating the energy crisis and called for an emergency energy forum so that the Minority would make available energy experts as its contribution to resolving the crisis.

He disagreed that the economy was resilient in spite of the energy crisis and said industries were throwing people out of jobs’ due to the energy crisis.

Mr Iddrisu proposed the construction of a Thermal plant to complement energy supply to the Northern part of the country.

Mr Boahen Aidoo described the original motion as a waste and vicious since the government had spelt out elaborate plans to contain the crisis.

"When there is crisis, we don’t solve it overnight," he said, adding that the measures taken by the government to resolve the crisis were in the best interest of the people.

Winding up Mr Adda said none of the Minority caucus who sponsored the original motion have made solid solution in their contribution to resolving the energy crisis.

Mr Adda reiterated government’s commitment to resolve the crisis through the comprehensive measures he earlier presented to the house in the short, medium and long term.

He bemoaned the minority for not commenting, during their contributions, on what they thought were wrong with the measures outlined in the comprehensive government plan to end the crisis.

Mr Adda debunked claims by the Minority that the government did not add any megawatts of power since assumption of power, explaining that government had added between 50 and 60 per cent additional generating capacity to the Takoradi International Company Thermal Plant.