For the past ten days, I’ve been compelled to use my generator which has become rusty out of overuse under the erstwhile President John Mahama’s government.

Since the resurgence of erratic power supply known as dumsor in the country under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I’ve spent not less than GHC500 on fuel – money that could have been tucked away into an investment portfolio had we a stable power supply.

These days whenever I am returning home from work, my prayer has been that God should help me that there would be electricity at home. My activities have been disrupted. I am not able to read into the night as I used to do four years ago. I was not surprised many businesses collapsed under Mahama.

Ghanaian voters have been compelled to use candles or generator to lighten their homes

I am fascinated by the nature of the current dumsor that has changed the way my gadgets function. My air-condition groan whenever I turn on the switch, while my light dim as though it is carrying weight. My ceiling fan roars and occasionally had to be motivated by my hand before it works.

Well, unlike the Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, I don’t understand the psychology of the new crisis. All I ever care for is to get light at home. I don’t think this is too difficult to ask of my government.

Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko

I am disappointed not because of the force with which we are slipping into dumsor, but that persons who gleefully supported Mahama’s mismanagement of the energy situation are today crying the loudest.

People who some years ago did not feel the pang of the dumsor are today going through what we went through under a government Ghanaians voted for. It was as though the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government came to work for sections of Ghanaians while the others were ignored.

While growing up, my mother Alice Darkwa told us a story that has been with me because of the lessons I continue to glean from it.

Former President John Mahama

She told us about a man who found no fault with what her children did. He never disciplined them whenever they erred. He encouraged their naughtiness to the point that he lost his closest friends. The children later took their behaviour to the parents. When he queried them about their behaviour, their response was, “You had the chance to correct us, but you abused it.”

This is the situation we are likely to find ourselves in whenever we refuse to offer good counsel to our leaders. Former President Mahama was given the license to do whatever he desired without sound opposition from his own party – even when they knew he was in the wrong.

Karpower plant provided by erstwhile NDC government to permanently solve the situation drinks fuel than the power it generates

He was allowed to sign controversial and needless power deals to window dress the problem. He doled out our money to private companies to operate thermal plants despite opposition that the plants are not sustainable.

How can we power the thermal plants when there are clear challenges that are technical and financial?

Ordinary Ghanaians who criticised him constructively were seen as bitter political opponents. They don’t appreciate the efforts the NDC government is putting in to solve the power situation, former government officials had said.

Another Dumsor demo in the future will not be bad if the current situation is not contained by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)

Months after Mahama was humiliated in the presidential poll, Ghana is fast walking back into dumsor. The question that is on the minds of Ghanaians is that, was the energy situation permanently solved by Mahama?

I am convinced there’s nothing peculiar and permanent about Mahama’s intervention in the power sector. He tried to solve the problem by creating more problems sending us back to the very beginning.

I sometimes wonder if it’s difficult to think in this country when one’s party is in power. I marvel at the ease with which we are quick to rationalise mindless actions of our political parties while ignoring right thinking.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised to solve dumsor

I have realised opposition allows political party supporters to try to seek the interest of the country as NDC supporters are faintly doing. I didn’t know they were in the country when ordinary Ghanaians were complaining about the hardship in the economy largely caused by Mahama’s dumsor.

I thought they are travelling with Mahama as he tours Africa to receive endorsement for his magnificent achievements. At least we need to laud the NDC supporters for being part of the country.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed here are the Author's and do not reflect the position of management of the Multimedia Group Limited or Myjoyonline.com. Austin Brako-Powers is a journalist with Joy 99.7 FM and could be reached via Brakomen@outlook.com or www.brakopowers.com