The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has rejected accusations of fearmongering against its Minister, John Jinapor, following his recent briefing to Parliament on Ghana’s energy sector challenges.
The allegations were made by Walewale MP Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, who, speaking on Channel One TV’s “The Big Issue” on May 17, claimed Jinapor was using alarmist rhetoric to bypass proper procurement processes. Mahama suggested that the Minister’s approach was aimed at creating a sense of urgency to justify sole-sourcing contracts, claiming that over GH₵200 million worth of such deals had been pushed through without the required transparency.
However, Richmond Rockson, the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, dismissed these claims, insisting that Jinapor’s statements were not designed to induce fear but rather to present the true state of the country’s power situation.
“The Minister for Energy and Green Transition is not engaged in scaremongering,” Rockson stated, adding that the minister’s remarks were part of a transparent briefing to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy on May 15.
During that session, Jinapor reportedly highlighted Ghana’s mounting energy sector debt, which reached $3.1 billion as of December 2024, and noted the urgent need for sustainable fuel procurement to power thermal plants.
Rockson emphasized that the Minister’s comments about Ghana having just 2.6 days of fuel supply left were part of a broader message about finding long-term solutions, including potential tariff reforms, which he said were currently under Cabinet review.
“So it is not accurate if he [Kabiru Mahama] keeps saying that the minister is scaremongering,” Rockson said. “What the minister did was to be truthful to the parliamentary select committee.”
The Ministry’s response underscores its stance that Jinapor’s approach is driven by transparency and the need for strategic energy reforms, rather than political maneuvering.
