SOTN: I’ll hold power Minister to ‘dumsor’ deadline - Mahama

President John Mahama has told Parliament that he will hold his power Minister, Dr Kwabena Donkor, to his promise to end the current power crisis by December 2015.

“I’ll hold the minister to his public pronouncement to resolve the problem by the end of this year,” Mr Mahama said in his state of the nation address on Thursday, February 26, 2015.

Dr Donkor, who is the first to occupy the new Power Ministry, promised earlier this month to resign if the power crisis persisted beyond 2015.

“I’ll resign,” the Pru East MP said when asked by the media if Ghanaians should demand his head if his earlier promise, at a press conference on February 2, 2015 that the crisis will end by the end of the year, fails to materialise.

At the press conference, Dr Donkor said the power ministry is putting in place measures to ensure the crisis is over by December.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Power, permit me to say that we are very much concerned about the current supply challenges confronting the nation and its consequences on industry, homes and the citizenry.

“We wish to assure that we are determined to adopt every strategy necessary to bring an end to the load shedding...what I can say is that load-shedding will end this year,” Dr. Donkor said.

Ghana’s energy crisis has worsened in recent years, with the authorities blaming the situation on low water levels in the Akosombo, Bui and Kpong dams, as well as lack of gas to power the country’s thermal plants.

Dr. Donkor also explained that the country is shedding close to 440 megawatts during off-peak periods and 650 megawatts during the peak periods.

Mr Mahama told Parliament his Government is not relenting on its efforts to make Ghana energy efficient.