Akufo-Addo commissions 515MW bridge power plant and promises end to “dumsor”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that the days of persistent power crises, known locally as *dumsor*, will not return. Speaking at the commissioning of a 515-megawatt power plant under the $1.2 billion Ghana Bridge Power Project at Kpone near Tema on Tuesday, November 19, the President highlighted his administration’s strides in securing a stable energy supply.
The Bridge Power Project, owned by US-based Endeavor Energy, will provide electricity to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) under a 25-year agreement.
Reflecting on the country’s energy challenges between 2012 and 2016 during the tenure of former President John Dramani Mahama, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the difficulties caused by power outages and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring that such disruptions do not recur.
“All of us remember the unfortunate, difficult periods of dumsor between 2012 and 2016 under the presidency of the perennial NDC presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, when systematic power outages disrupted lives and livelihoods across the nation,” he said. “Those challenging times tested our resilience and our resolve as a people. Today, as we stand together to inaugurate the Bridge Power station, we send a clear message to everyone, every Ghanaian, that Ghana will no longer be held back by the energy shortages of the past.”
The President stressed that the country is now better prepared to meet its energy demands, thanks to significant investments in the power sector over the last eight years.
“Without a dependable source of electricity, industries cannot thrive, schools cannot prepare the leaders of tomorrow, and healthcare facilities cannot deliver the care citizens deserve,” he said. “Ghana is rising above the challenges and creating a future in which our energy supply supports our ambition, not limiting them. We are overcoming the barriers that once stood in our way.”
President Akufo-Addo also addressed concerns about financial arrears owed to Independent Power Producers (IPPs), assuring Ghanaians that the government is taking steps to resolve the issue. He emphasized that ensuring efficient power supply is crucial to building a resilient economy.
The inauguration of the Bridge Power Plant is expected to boost Ghana’s energy infrastructure and contribute significantly to the nation’s industrial and economic growth.
