It's not the energy minister's responsibility to issue a load-shedding timetable - Kwabena Donkor

Former Minister of Power and the legislator for Pru East, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, has stated that the responsibility of issuing a load-shedding timetable lies with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), not the Minister of Energy.

This clarification comes amid discussions on the ongoing power stability issues, locally referred to as 'Dumsor,' addressing the calls for a formal load-shedding schedule from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG),

On March 25, 2024, during the launch of the New Patriotic Party's campaign team in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh challenged those requesting a timetable to create one themselves if they found it important.

His comments were met with backlash from a cross-section of Ghanaians.

However, during his appearance on NewsFile on Joy News, Dr. Kwabena Donkor noted that while the energy minister may relay information from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), it is ultimately the PURC that has the authority to demand and enforce the publication of such a timetable.

"The minister says, ‘ECG says.’ If you listen to him, he says, ECG says. He's not saying. And to start with, it's not the minister's responsibility to issue a timetable or not to issue… it is the responsibility of PURC.

"They have the mandate to demand for one and they have demanded for one. So, as for the minister, what the minister is saying is like on the sidelines," he said.

Meanwhile, the ECG has said it has resolved the issues causing nationwide power outages and announced that there is now a stable power supply in the country.

It apologized for the disruptions and directed those still affected to contact their local offices.

The recent power instability has led to public criticism and concerns over its impact on businesses and daily activities, exacerbated by the lack of a load-shedding schedule.

ID/AE

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