Minority MPs want Energy Minister summoned over power cuts

Minority Members of Parliament have called on the leadership of the House to summon the Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempreh, to provide an update on steps the government has taken to resolve the recent power cuts.

The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, bemoaned on Friday, March 1, the impact the power cuts are having on households and businesses.

He appealed to the leadership of the House during the presentation of the business statement for the ensuing year.

“Many people and businesses are unable to plan their activities and their programs, and they also sometimes have to find extra money to power their generators for their businesses, and many people do not know what is happening.

“They are told that there are planned and unplanned programmes and loads are being shed, so it is important that the leadership of the House makes it possible for the Energy Minister to brief the House next week on the power situation and why fellow countrymen and women have to deal with the on and off situation. Ghanaians need to understand why they sleep in darkness.”

MP for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, also recounted a harrowing incident where a National Service personnel was trapped in one of Parliament’s lifts due to a power cut and demanded that Ghanaians be made aware of happenings in the power sector.

“My issue has to do with the erratic power supply. Just two days ago, there was a National Service employee who was trapped in one of the lifts when the power went off. She was traumatized when she finally exited the lift, and so are we able to quantify the psychological trauma that people go through as a result of this? The Minister for Energy must respond to this House to explain to us so we can explain to our constituents what is happening.”