Captain (Eng.) Niel Armstrong, an NPP member, has launched a strong critique against Ghana’s energy ministers, accusing them of lacking the technical expertise to manage the country’s power sector.
Speaking on Atinka TV’s Oman Mu Nsem, Armstrong said the ongoing energy crisis, popularly known as “dumsor,” is partly due to incompetent leadership at the Ministry of Energy.
“Most ministers appointed to that sector have no idea what they’re doing,” – he stated.
He proposed that Ghana needs just 150 megawatts of solar energy to help stabilize power supply and end the recurring outages. According to him, if the Mahama-led government fails to act on the energy crisis, it will face serious consequences in the next election.
Armstrong also rated President Mahama’s first 120 days in office at 50%, citing the high cost of living, persistent fuel prices, and the unimpactful drop in the dollar rate. “If the cedi is gaining strength, it must reflect in the market. Ghanaians are still suffering,” he noted.
He shared an example of alleged sabotage in the energy sector, saying his company’s involvement in a 2023 gas pipeline project at VALCO was blocked due to internal resistance and corruption.
On the free sanitary pad initiative for schoolgirls, Armstrong said it was a good move but not a significant national achievement.
He ended with a call for a clear national development plan, lamenting Ghana’s lack of vision. “Even countries like Burkina Faso are doing more to fight poverty. Ghana needs direction,” he said.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Barima Saakwa