SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Ghana minister resigns for 'unsatisfactory handling' of electricity crisis

Ghana's power minister has resigned for unsatisfactory handling of an electricity crisis that caused years of frequent blackouts and hurt the West African country's economy, two government sources said.

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters


Skip to article content

Kwabena Donkor submitted his resignation on Thursday to President John Mahama after talks at the presidency a day earlier, a source close to the presidency told Reuters.

"The president was unhappy with his performance, particularly in handling the crisis. He has accepted the resignation and thanked him for his service," the source said.

The resignation comes a day after Donkor issued a statement saying the blackouts, known in Ghana as "dumsor", had been resolved.

Ghana, which exports cocoa, gold and oil, is under a three-year aid programme with the International Monetary Fund to fix its economy. The blackouts have stunted industrial growth and dented the government's popularity ahead of elections next year.

President Mahama, who created the Power Ministry in 2014, said in February he would fix the electricity crisis by the New Year, a challenge Donkor publicly accepted, saying he would resign if he failed to meet the deadline.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"The president wants to ensure that people entrusted with responsibility deliver and Donkor is no exception," another government source said, adding that Mahama would have dismissed the minister if he had not resigned.

In a nationwide speech on New Year's eve, Mahama said he would ensure that appointees uphold their promises to the citizenry.

"Those who fall short of that commitment have been, and will continue to be asked to tender their resignations and relieved of their responsibilities," he said.

Transport Minister Dzifa Attivor stepped down last week after her ministry overspent nearly $1 million to paint more than 100 buses in national colours and with portraits of the country's recent leaders.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world