John Jinapor Warns of Impending ‘Dumsor’ Crisis Due to Severe Fuel Shortage
Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu, John Jinapor, has sounded the alarm over an imminent power crisis, popularly known as “dumsor,” owing to a critical fuel shortage in Ghana.
Speaking in Accra on Tuesday, January 7, 2024, after the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama, Mr Jinapor disclosed that the country’s fuel reserves are alarmingly low, with only five hours of fuel stock remaining.
“I have bad news for you. The confirmation we are getting is that we have only five hours of fuel stock. If you look at heavy fuel oil and diesel fuel, we don’t have up to two days. In two days’ time, we are likely to run out of fuel,” Mr Jinapor revealed.
He criticized the outgoing administration for failing to procure adequate fuel supplies, a situation he believes has left the incoming government in a precarious position.
“This administration has not ordered any fuel as we speak. It takes an average of four weeks for fuel to arrive and an additional four weeks for the fuel to be treated. We are in a very serious situation,” Mr Jinapor stated.
Mr Jinapor further noted discrepancies in assurances provided during the transition period. According to him, the outgoing administration claimed to have secured fuel parcels, but current checks indicate insufficient supplies to last even two days.
“Today, right after President Mahama assumed office and I served on the transition, my checks indicate that we do not have fuel that can cater for even two days. Clearly, we have a major, major problem,” he said.
The MP cautioned that even with immediate action by the new administration, the fuel supply chain’s timeline means it would take at least eight weeks to receive and process new shipments. This delay, he warned, could result in prolonged power outages.
Ghana has previously grappled with “dumsor,” a term describing frequent and prolonged power outages that severely impact businesses and households. Mr Jinapor’s warning has reignited concerns over the country’s energy security and the need for robust contingency planning.
