Probe Power Outages - NPP Political Activist Calls on Govt

The government has been cautioned against possible "political interference" in the rampant power outages in the country.

It has been urged to be vigilant because saboteurs could be working behind the country's utility providers to make the current administration unpopular.

"There are some serious saboteurs in the system who want to do something to bring the government down. I want to appeal to the government to institute investigations into the operations of our utility providers especially the VRA to find the real causes of the frequent blackouts", the former Greater Accra Financial Secretary of the NPP, Mr. Boye Laryea told ADM yesterday.

Expressing worry over Monday's power outage across the country especially with UNCTAD XII in progress and subsequent outages, he pointed accusing fingers at what he called "desperate politicians" who have "bought" some technicians to cause hitches in the smooth operations of the system to discredit the government.

He said, "The government, the president, ministers and whoever is concerned about this particular problem should not just take it lightly, because this is something that can cost this government dearly."

He said since the general election is drawing closer, the government, hoping to be returned to office is doing all it can to protect the reputation it has won over the years but its detractors are also leaving no stone unturned to damage its record.

Mr. Boye Laryea a contestant in the NPP Okai-Koi North parliamentary primary said for the NPP to win the elections, attention should be focused on such issues, to "uproot all the bad nuts in the system to save us from the serious damages it can do to our cause".

He recounted that "for example, in 2004 they did the same thing some few months to the elections there were these on and off things We have studied them and we have been living with some of them At times some of the things they say will marvel you. You hear them say that the electricity problem can't be solved until they come to power They can do so many things, they will work against you so that the people will lose trust in you and will go about saying this government is not good I am saying that there are serious saboteurs in the system and we must all be concerned about it."

He took on the VRA/EGC on the excuses and services they provide: "That is what they will say, we are not technical men, we are not there with them and they will always have an excuse for things of this nature. Increasing tariff is all that they are interested in, they are not interested in quality service tariffs go up but we don't see any quality service."

He noted that "these are institutions that can damage and do a lot of bad things to the government; the government must therefore sit up and not always listen to them."

He said it was about time the government followed up such issues to ascertain the actual problem on the ground.

Mr Laryea, however said, the works of these saboteurs cannot stop the NPP from winning the December polls.