The Deputy Minister for Energy, Richard Gyan-Mensah, has revealed that he deliberately removed the generator from his home to personally experience the ongoing power outages affecting many Ghanaians.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, he explained that the decision was intentional and aimed at helping him better understand the challenges faced by ordinary citizens.
“I took it off because… I wanted to feel what Ghanaians go through when the light goes off,” he said.
According to him, the recent outages are largely due to increased electricity demand, which has placed pressure on the distribution system, leading to overloaded transformers in several communities.
He noted that although these challenges exist, response teams have been working swiftly to address reported faults.
“There has been a very prompt response time to the complaints,” he added.
Mr Gyan-Mensah said living without backup power has given him a new perspective on the crisis, allowing him to directly relate to the frustrations experienced by households.
He disclosed that he regularly monitors outage reports and follows up with engineers to ensure timely restoration of power supply.
Despite the discomfort—including resistance from his family—he said the sacrifice is necessary to stay grounded in reality.
“When the light goes off, my light goes off as well,” he emphasised.
The Deputy Minister also revealed that he has avoided alternatives such as solar power to maintain that connection with the experiences of the average Ghanaian.
While admitting the situation has not been easy, he indicated that the arrangement is temporary and tied to efforts to improve the system.
“When I know Ghanaians are okay, I’ll bring it back,” he said.
His comments come amid ongoing national concern over erratic electricity supply, with government officials working to stabilise the power sector.
