Alhaji Inusah Abdulai Bistav Fuseini, the former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, has asserted that Ghana’s energy sector grapples with a distinct issue intensified by personal idiosyncrasies.
The seasoned former legislator cites the government’s unsuccessful PDS deal as clear evidence of this problem.
He contends that the PDS agreement, among other issues, marked the inception of numerous challenges within the sector.
“They formed the PDS; the beginning of the problem of the non-reformation of the energy sector lies with the PDS.
“So clearly we have a problem… It is not that the problem is not solvable; it is because our own personal idiosyncratic interest that is militating against the solution of the problem.”
Alhaji Inusah Fuseini
Alhaji Fuseini additionally claimed that the agreement was the government’s endeavor to take absolute control of a state entity.
“Not only did they bring together a group of cronies for the purposes of capturing that state entity for themselves but they also perpetuated on the people of Ghana huge fraud. The terms of the engagement with the PDS was bastardized [when] the Minister for Finance wrote to the late Akoto Ampaw to consolidate shares held by Ghanaians.”
Alhaji Inusah Fuseini
Alhaji Fuseini further criticized Benjamin Boakye, an Energy Governance Professional and Executive Director of the Africa Center for Energy Policy, stating that his comments on the issue lacked a historical perspective on Ghana’s current energy situation. He explained that between 2009 and 2012, President Atta Mills’ administration conducted an investigation into power delivery challenges, covering production, transmission, and distribution. With support from development partners, the identified issues included significant commercial and system losses in distribution.
He highlighted that during John Dramani Mahama’s tenure, under the Millennium Development Goals, recommendations were implemented to address these challenges. Transparent mechanisms were essential to combat inefficiencies and corruption, and by the time Mahama left office, in his view, initiatives to modernize power distribution, reduce system losses, and improve revenue collection were well underway.
In his account, when the NPP assumed office, the narrative suggested that the companies selected and the entire framework designed to introduce discipline and expertise into the ECG favored foreigners. The proposed distribution of shares was perceived as imbalanced, with 80% allocated to foreigners and only 20% to Ghanaians. Consequently, the arrangement was terminated as the government sought to establish a new agreement.
“They entered into arrangement with the Millennium Development Authority for the purposes of restarting the process”, he emphasized.
Government’s “Deceit” In PDS Deal
Alhaji Fuseini could not hide his bewilderment at the “deceit” from the government.
“They said it loudly and everybody, and those of us who had some relationship with the power sector and had worked there before fought the stage but, well, they were able to hoodwink the people of Ghana into accepting if you change the share arrangement in the ECG transaction or restructuring it will take from the foreigners and put into Ghanaians’ the commanding heights of the economy.”
Alhaji Inusah Fuseini
Honorable Inusah Fuseini also expressed reservations about funds collected by PDS during its brief tenure, emphasizing that there has been no accountability for these funds even after the collapse of the arrangement.
The esteemed former Member of Parliament suggested that competent Ghanaians could address the situation if the government were to create opportunities for these experts.
He reiterated his surprise at the turn of events in the energy sector.
“Sometimes what happens to us in this country is beyond understanding, astonishing beyond what is imaginable. It appears to me that this government now understands only threat but then it is difficult situation between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Alhaji Inusah Fuseini
Honorable Fuseini expressed hope but significant with doubt about government’s ability to clear the debts as promised to the IPPs.
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