Prof. Isaac Boadi, IERPP Executive Director
By Bright Philip Donkor
The Institute of Economic Policy Research and Policy Planning (IERPP) has questioned the capacity of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to effectively manage Ghana’s energy sector, describing the party as lacking the necessary wherewithal to address the sector’s persistent challenges.
Speaking to the Daily Statesman after a press conference at the Ghana International Press Centre under the theme “The 120-Days Accountability Showdown: Are We Resetting or Repeating the Past,” Executive Director of the IERPP, Prof. Isaac Boadi, said the NDC had not demonstrated the technical competence, strategic clarity, or financial discipline required to oversee the country’s complex energy landscape in the 120-days of office.
He said the NDC’s record in government was marked by erratic power outage (dumsor), inadequate investment in infrastructure, and a failure to implement long-term solutions, particularly in the areas of power generation, fuel supply, and tariff management.
“The NDC’s track record offers little assurance that it is prepared to tackle the pressing issues in the energy sector. The sector requires innovative leadership, clear policy direction, and prudent financial management — qualities that have been lacking in the NDC’s approach, both in the past and in its current policy proposals,” he said.
“The energy sector is too critical to be entrusted to leaders who have not demonstrated a clear capacity to deliver results. Ghana needs consistency and innovation to meet the rising demands of households, businesses, and industries,” he added.
Poor record
For his part, Dr. Nyame Baafi, Senior Fellow at the Institute and Senior Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), pointed out that the NDC administration led by President John Mahama had recorded a worrying 16.6 percent performance in environmental management and energy reforms during its first 120 days in office.
Dr. Baafi presented a comprehensive review of the government’s efforts so far. He explained that the assessment, conducted by IERPP, reviewed twenty-five key manifesto promises across four thematic areas using verifiable implementation data and a weighted scoring system aligned with international benchmarks for evaluating government performance.
He stressed that Ghana stood at a critical juncture, and could no longer afford policy incoherence, reversals, or delays. According to him, the government must stay true to its commitment to protect forest reserves, and uphold environmental laws.
He emphasised the urgent need for the administration to address the energy crisis through competent leadership and structural reforms, consolidate previous tourism sector gains, and conduct a credible investigation into the Akosombo dam spillage disaster.
2024 reflections
Reflecting on the 2024 general elections, Dr. Baafi recalled that the National Democratic Congress, led by then-flagbearer and now President John Mahama, unveiled a 120-Day Social Contract with the people of Ghana. This document outlined important commitments in sectors including energy, environment, and tourism.
Among them was a pledge to impose a ban on illegal and new mining activities within forest reserves, coupled with initiatives such as the Tree for Life and Blue Water Initiative, which aimed to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems and restore polluted water bodies.
Another promise centered on the launch of the Black Star Experience to revitalize the tourism industry, while a further commitment was made to initiate a comprehensive probe into the Akosombo and Kpong Dam spillage disaster, which displaced thousands and devastated livelihoods across multiple regions.
Critical pillars
Dr. Baafi pointed out that the energy sector, one of the most critical pillars of Ghana’s economy, was not explicitly highlighted in the original contract but was subsequently included under the goal of resolving the power crisis.
Unfortunately, he noted, the country continued to grapple with frequent and prolonged power outages, widely referred to as “dumsor,” which threaten economic stability and productivity.
Despite assurances from the current Minister of Energy, Dr. Baafi said, the energy crisis persisted, with severe consequences for businesses, employment, investment, and healthcare delivery.
He warned that without bold reforms and improved efficiency, particularly in the revenue collection efforts of the Electricity Company of Ghana, the country risked falling short of targets under the ongoing IMF programme.
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