Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has formally alerted President Mahama to major national crises. He described the issues as interconnected and urgently needing executive intervention. The problems span the energy sector, the welfare of cocoa farmers, national food security, and the stability of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Annoh-Dompreh emphasized that these issues are compounding burdens for all Ghanaians.
The letter specifically points to the resurgence of ‘dumsor’, the persistent power outages that hit Ghana hard previously. It also details the struggles of cocoa farmers. These farmers are reportedly losing crops and investments due to reduced prices. Furthermore, an institutional crisis is developing at the EPA. This poses risks to environmental governance and regulatory enforcement. Finally, there are significant issues within the national food distribution system. This includes bumper harvests of staples like maize and yams alongside shortages in senior high schools.
These challenges reflect broader economic and governance issues in Ghana. The return of ‘dumsor’ highlights structural problems in the energy sector. This sector’s reliability is vital for industries and economic growth and relies on effective management of the Energy Sector Levy. For years, Ghana has depended on cocoa exports for significant foreign exchange earnings. Reductions in producer prices can undermine this sector's long-term viability and rural economies. The EPA’s troubles also affect Ghana’s ability to attract foreign investment and meet climate commitments.
Annoh-Dompreh’s letter serves as a stark warning. He stated, "The country is at a point where the increasing public involvement in governance ought to be recognised as an advantage." He urged the President to "swiftly act to eliminate the identified problems." His communication aims to draw attention to systemic failures impacting independent and credible monetary governance, energy sector viability, environmental governance, agricultural productivity, and national food security.
The energy sector issues are critical. Persistent load-shedding, often called ‘dumsor’, continues despite earlier promises that it had ended. Recurring deficits and gas shortfalls indicate unresolved systemic problems. The government needs to pursue structural reforms to protect the economy, which heavily relies on a stable power supply. The cocoa sector faces reduced producer prices. This puts pressure on farming households already dealing with rising costs. It also risks weakening farmer incentives and encouraging smuggling.
The situation at the EPA is particularly worrying. Reports suggest over 3,000 contract staff were hired without proper financial clearance. A significant number of these recruits lack a clear financial regularisation pathway. This instability at the EPA threatens effective environmental permitting and oversight of the mining sector. It also impacts Ghana’s readiness for carbon markets and access to climate finance. The food distribution system shows a mismatch. There are gluts of staple crops at the farmgate level but shortages in public Senior High Schools. This implies deep-seated structural issues require urgent attention to ensure food security for all citizens.