Light o! Den de!

We have all as a nation abhorred and cried our hearts out for the energy crisis to get better. Interestingly we had to wait for more than a year in almost total darkness to see some margin of improvement.

I was thus elated when I heard our dear President had paid a visit to the Akosombo Dam. I think no matter what some politically hungry bandits will say of him, be it his first time visit or not, I think it was better late than never! He did the right thing. Kudos to His Excellency President J. A. Kufour.

Ever since this energy crisis started, some sections of the public have sought to feed and fill their power starved minds with all sorts of ‘childish politicking’ just to ridicule the NPP government and misinform the public. Earning cheap political points was the main aim of these attempts and thus the unsuspecting and uninformed Ghanaian was led to believe that the Kufour administration had decided to siphon the water from the Akosombo Dam only to fill their private dams at home whiles you and I suffered the crisis. Some went close to saying that the NPP administration had ‘drunk’ the Dam water and fed their ‘elephant’ with the rest!! Think this is hilarious? (You obviously haven’t been in Ghana for the past year).

Well by some strange design, days after the President’s visit, the level of the water started rising for the first time. Since then we have all been made privy to the fact that there is a ‘steady’ rise of the level of water in the Dam. Some of us have received this news with a ‘cautious sigh of relief’ and are quite appreciative of the efforts of the VRA management and their handling of this crisis amidst the plethora of confusion exhibited by some of our comrades.

But alas! These same cohorts have risen again! They cannot deal with the reality of accepting that at least we are enjoying some relief after our long wait. I was listening to a phone – in segment on a radio programme some few days ago and it was interesting to hear people (Ghanaians o!) say that they are ‘used to’ the energy crisis and that they do not really want the small breather we seem to be having now. Ei! Ghanaman! Where lies the problem then?! My dear reader, these are the sort of sick and politically unstable minds we have in our nation now. When the President recently made certain comments alluding to a section of the public who wished that this country never saw light again especially going into the election year, a section of the public and media got up in arms. Not only were they angry with the President, but they also insisted the President mention the names of those he was referring to. In fact I fully side with the President’s ‘who the cap fits, let him wear it’ attitude. And for Pete’s sake haven’t we seen them all?! After all it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that there are still people in the nation who wished that Kufour and his government will once again, ‘drink’ up all the water in the dam before election 2008.

I believe as much as the NPP government and the sector Minister (who has had his private share of the flack), have been tortured and ridiculed for the energy crisis, it is time we also showed our appreciation for their efforts. Albeit marginal and thus requiring the cautious optimism prevailing now (not everybody anyway), I think the NPP should be commended for the prudent decisions it has had to make and also ask that lessons should be picked up from this experience for better management of our energy resources. If you still feel too proud to credit in remarkable speed as you chastised this government, then know that you are definitely wearing a cap!!

To those who still want to sleep in darkness, well you still know your schedule so personally switch your lights off when you are due or better still forever! We will still be here when you come back on!

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.