The Deputy Energy Minister says former President Mahama could not have provided Ghanaians with free electricity even in difficult times because the sector was saddled with debts then.

Dr Amin Adam said load shedding, popularly called 'dumsor' cost the country $680 million in 2014 which was about 2 per cent of GDP at that time.

"The Energy sector faces unprecedented financial crisis under the NDC government which could not even support the procurement of fuel to run plants.

"President Akufo-Addo has not only found the means to secure fuel supply over the last three years but has also cleared all government debt owed the Electricity Company of Ghana," he said.

Speaking at the 2020 manifesto launch of the governing NPP, he said the days in which the situation was so dire that doctors had to do surgery with torchlights due to unplanned outages which also led to welders, hairdressers and others closing shop are over.

He said the Akufo-Addo government has prioriotised dumsor so Ghanaians will never experience load shedding.

"Under the NDC government, many industries became very uncompetitive and so relocated to neighbouring countries due to the high cost of electricity. In fact, Ghana’s electricity tariff was about the highest in the sub-region but under Akufo-Addo the cost has declined," Dr Amin Adam said.

According to him, government has fully redeemed over $1 billion of debt accrued by Mahama's government from the Bulk Oil Distribution Companies to sustain cash flow in the Energy Sector and avoid further accumulation of debts.

“The NPP government is the first in the history of Ghana to reduce tariffs by 11% on a net basis against an increase in tariff of 265% under the NDC government. The president has shown that he cares for Ghanaians by going the extra mile to protect the welfare of Ghanaians in his unapparelled dedication during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.