-By Nadia Ntiamoah
In a fiery critique that has reignited Ghana’s long-standing energy debate, Kofi Bentil, Senior Vice President of policy think tank IMANI-Africa, has lashed out at the government over its handling of the energy crisis and the introduction of the Energy Sector Levy.
Speaking on Joy News on Saturday, June 7, Bentil directed pointed criticism at President John Mahama’s administration, accusing it of failing to provide practical solutions to the recurring “dumsor” crisis and hiding behind technical justifications for unpopular decisions.
“This is not about whether you use crude oil or nuclear,” Bentil charged. “People want power. It is your job. Nobody cares about your long explanations. If you’re competent, solve the problem.”
Crisis Repeating Itself
Ghana’s energy sector has been plagued with recurrent power outages, popularly known as dumsor, for over a decade.
The crisis peaked between 2012 and 2016 under the Mahama administration, triggering nationwide protests and harsh economic repercussions.
While the Akufo-Addo government claimed to have stabilized the power supply after 2017, recent months have seen a resurgence of outages, sparking frustration among citizens and renewed scrutiny of successive governments’ energy policies.
To address financial constraints in the sector, the Mahama-led government recently introduced the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Central to the bill is a controversial GHS1 per litre fuel levy, projected to raise GHS5.7 billion annually.
The NDC Government officials argue the funds are critical for paying energy sector debts, purchasing fuel, and maintaining a stable power supply.
However, many experts and civil society actors say the levy unfairly burdens consumers and reflects poor planning.
Bentil: “People Are Tired of Explanations”
He minced no words in describing the government’s approach as detached and ineffective.
Reacting to comments made by government spokesperson Felix Ofosu Kwakye, who had defended the bill by explaining the technical basis of the fuel levy, Bentil snapped: “You spent 15 minutes explaining these things — it’s your job, but nobody cares.”
According to Bentil, effective governance is judged not by rhetoric but by results.
“When you go to countries where leaders are serious, you don’t know how they generate their electricity. All you know is your lights stay on,” he said, urging Ghanaian leaders to focus on delivering practical outcomes instead of long-winded explanations.
A Bi-Partisan Responsibility, But Mahama’s Record Questioned
Although Bentil acknowledged that the energy crisis is a bipartisan problem, he took particular aim at the current Mahama administration for its perceived inability to learn from past failures.
He warned that simply recycling policy tools such as levies, without reforming the management and operational frameworks of the energy sector, would lead to further inefficiencies and public dissatisfaction.
“This isn’t about politics,” Bentil stressed. “It’s about competence. And if you’re not competent, the people suffer.”
Diverging Views on the Fuel Levy
While the government maintains that the GHS1 fuel levy is a necessary sacrifice for long-term energy stability, critics say it is a stopgap measure that reflects the absence of innovation and sustainable planning.
Some energy analysts have called the GHS1.2 billion in emergency fuel costs “unjustified,” adding to public skepticism about the government’s transparency and financial discipline.
