The new Ministry of Power, set up by government will not solve Ghana’s energy crises, a former Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Dr. Wereko-Brobby has said.
President Mahama has set up a new Ministry of Power and appointed the Member of Parliament for Pru East and Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor to head it.
The decision forms part of measures to restructure the power sector and ensure consistent power supply.
But the former CEO of the VRA believes the move will not make any significant impact.
[contextly_sidebar id=”epdqbGefxnpJxGd6tA5u40eI2ZmOCXw4″]Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue, Dr. Wereko-Brobby advocated for the appointment of a minister of state at the presidency to oversee the power sector rather than the creation of a new bureaucracy.
“A more technocratic organisation being supervised by a Minister in a President’s office, as a special minister will save us all the cost of creating directors, chief directors which is not what is required to solve the power problem,” the former VRA boss suggested.
He pointed out that though President Mahama has not erred in setting up a new ministry to deal with the energy crises, “the Ministry of Power is not what is required to solve the problem.”
“We owe Asogli over $100 million, we owe GRIDCO, we owe even VRA itself because it is trying to make arrangement to buy crude when gas doesn’t flow. It cannot do it because it is not getting the proportions of the revenue that you and I pay,” Dr. Wereko-Brobby explained.
Meanwhile, corroborating the arguments made by Dr Wereko Brobby, the Director of Programmes at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy, (ACEP) Benjamin Boakye said, the power sector needs financing to address the current power challenges and not a new ministry.
“Any structural change that will bring power to the people is welcome, but as to whether creating a new ministry will address the challenges is what we are doubtful about.”
“Merely establishing a new power ministry is not going to be a good solution. However we appreciate that Dr. Kwabena Donkor is competent enough to handle any Ministry.”
He stressed that what the energy sector needs right now is “financing but government does not have the financing”
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah