NDC Counters NPP’s Dumsor Timeline Claims, Points to Pre-Mahama Roots

Dr. Samuel Ayeh, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team, has rejected assertions by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that Ghana’s recent erratic power supply, locally termed dumsor, began with President John Mahama’s inauguration on January 7, 2025.

In a heated interview on 3FM Sunrise with host Johnnie Hughes, Ayeh argued that the current crisis stems from unresolved energy sector failures predating Mahama’s return to office, reigniting a familiar political clash over accountability for the nation’s chronic power struggles.

“The NPP wants Ghanaians to forget history, but the truth is dumsor never truly disappeared after 2016—it was mismanagement that brought it back,” Ayeh stated. He credited Mahama’s previous administration with resolving severe power shortages by 2016, only for the NPP, during its tenure, to allegedly neglect payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and fuel suppliers, destabilizing the sector. “They ignored financial obligations, creating a ticking time bomb. Now they’re blaming Mahama for their own failures,” he added.

The debate over dumsor—a term coined during the 2012–2016 energy crisis—has resurfaced as households and businesses grapple with worsening blackouts. Ayeh accused the NPP of “ostrich politics,” burying their heads to avoid scrutiny while shifting blame. His remarks underscore a broader frustration with partisan finger-pointing, which critics say distracts from systemic issues like infrastructure deficits and financial mismanagement plaguing the sector for decades.

Ayeh’s critique taps into public skepticism about political narratives. While Mahama’s earlier tenure saw significant investments in power generation, including the addition of thermal plants, critics argue maintenance gaps and debt accumulation left vulnerabilities. The NPP, meanwhile, has long blamed the NDC for signing costly power agreements that strained national coffers—a narrative Ayeh dismissed as “revisionist.”

Beyond the partisan sparring, Ayeh called for transparency. “We need honest dialogue, not political theater,” he urged, highlighting how recurring dumsor erodes economic stability. Small businesses, hospitals, and households bear the brunt, with erratic power disrupting daily life and deepening distrust in leadership.

Energy experts warn that lasting solutions require bipartisan collaboration. “The sector’s problems are structural—no single administration owns them,” said Accra-based Financial Journalist Roger A. Agana. “Until we depoliticize dumsor and prioritize long-term planning, the lights will keep flickering.”

As the NDC and NPP trade barbs, Ghanaians await more than promises. For citizens, the demand is simple: accountability, not excuses, to finally dim the shadow of dumsor.