BY Daniel Bampoe
Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has launched a scathing attack on President John Dramani Mahama and National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing them of mismanaging Ghana’s energy sector and returning the nation to the brink of debilitating power outages, locally known as dumsor.
Speaking during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) post-election “Thank You” tour in the Savannah Region, Dr. Bawumia mocked the NDC’s proposed 24-hour economy policy as unrealistic, stating that the country cannot sustain round-the-clock productivity without stable electricity — something he believes the NDC has repeatedly failed to deliver.
“You have a 24-hour economy with us — it’s not possible,” Bawumia said, pointing to the looming energy crisis under the current Mahama-led administration.
“They are walking with dumsor, and Ghanaians are now seeing what we meant. Something we managed effectively for eight years is now a challenge after just four months under Mahama.”
The Former Vice President’s remarks come amid growing concerns of the current energy crisis.
In January, 2025 John Jinapor, Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu and a key figure in the NDC’s energy transition team, disclosed that Ghana’s fuel stock for electricity generation had dropped to dangerously low levels.
He warned that the country risked running out of fuel in under two days, raising fears of a return to dumsor, which plagued Ghana during the Mahama administration from 2012 to 2016.
John Jinapor blamed the outgoing Akufo-Addo administration for failing to procure sufficient fuel during the transition period, stating that assurances made during the handover had not been honoured.
“We are in for real trouble,” he told journalists, suggesting that even if the government acted immediately, it would take several weeks to stabilize supply.
In response, former Energy Minister Herbert Krapa refuted the claims, asserting that the Akufo-Addo-led NPP government had left behind adequate fuel reserves.
He accused the NDC of incompetence and urged them to demonstrate leadership by addressing the shortfall rather than resorting to blame games.
“Load shedding does not loom; it is caused by either technical issues or managerial incompetence. We left enough fuel in stock and this is verifiable,” Krapa said in a statement.
The NDC, led by Mahama has campaigned heavily on introducing a 24-hour economy, promising to increase productivity, create jobs, and stabilize the energy sector.
However, the current crisis is threatening to derail that vision early in Mahama’s tenure.
Dr. Bawumia seized on this contradiction during his speech, questioning how a government struggling to maintain basic electricity supply could feasibly operate a 24-hour economy.
He accused the NDC of political rhetoric without practical grounding and claimed that Ghanaians are beginning to witness the difference in governance firsthand.
“We warned Ghanaians, but they didn’t listen. Now, the evidence is before us all,” he added.
However, as the political blame game escalates, ordinary Ghanaians remain anxious about the possibility of frequent power cuts, which could affect businesses, education, healthcare, and general productivity.
With both parties trading accusations, the pressure is mounting on the NDC government to act swiftly to restore confidence in its energy sector and deliver on its promise of a 24-hour economy.
Background
Ghana’s power sector has long faced challenges, with the most notable period of erratic supply occurring under Mahama’s first term, leading to widespread public discontent and protests.
The term dumsor became a defining critique of his leadership. When the NPP assumed office in 2017, it vowed to stabilize electricity supply — a goal the party claims it achieved through improved fuel procurement strategies and infrastructure investments.
Now, with the tables turned, the NPP is using the current crisis to reinforce its narrative that Mahama’s leadership remains incapable of managing Ghana’s energy needs — a message that may resonate with voters if the situation worsen.
