Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, rejected criticism Monday that he is focusing on fear over facts as the country contends with persistent power and fuel supply constraints.

In an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Jinapor pushed back against allegations—voiced by opposition lawmakers and energy experts—that he has been “grumbling” rather than leading. “I understand grumbling very well,” he said. “Presenting facts before a parliamentary committee is not grumbling. Unless, as a minister, I should be hiding those facts.”

The remarks follow public scrutiny stemming from his recent appearance before Parliament’s Energy Committee and criticisms from Walewale MP Tia Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, who accused the minister of resorting to alarmist rhetoric during a Big Issue panel discussion on May 17.

Mr. Jinapor outlined a series of policy interventions aimed at stabilizing Ghana’s energy sector. These included averting a potential shutdown by Karpowership—a key supplier to the national grid—expanding generation capacity, and pushing structural reforms to reduce the sector’s reliance on imported liquid fuels.

“The facts are that Karpowership threatened to shut down, and we resolved it. That’s not grumbling. That’s solving the problem,” Mr. Jinapor said. He added that shortfalls in power generation, which hovered around 70–80 megawatts when his administration took office, have been significantly reduced through the introduction of new power plants.

Mr. Jinapor emphasized his ministry’s long-term strategy centers on expanding domestic gas processing to reduce dependency on liquid fuel. “We inaugurated the gas processing committee to determine how to build gas processing plants. That’s not grumbling—it’s addressing the challenge,” he said.

He also noted that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is moving forward with plans for private-sector participation. “Stakeholder consultations are done. Now we must implement. That’s leadership,” Mr. Jinapor said.

Addressing concerns over fuel stock levels, the minister stated that updated inventory data had been submitted to Parliament and that new fuel shipments were expected imminently.

“I didn’t say we’re in crisis. I didn’t say we’re failing. We have challenges—but that’s precisely why we were elected: to solve them,” he said.

Ghana’s power sector has long been plagued by inconsistent supply and infrastructure shortfalls, complicating economic planning and investment. The minister’s assertive tone suggests a government under pressure to demonstrate progress—and resilience—as it navigates one of the country’s most persistent challenges.

Source:TheDotNews