Annoh-Dompreh’s open letter to Mahama calling for executive intervention on energy sector, cocoa farmers’ plight, food security

Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh has written a detailed open letter to President John Dramani Mahama, warning of what he describes as deepening governance and institutional crises affecting multiple sectors of Ghana, including energy, cocoa production, environmental regulation and food distribution systems.

In the strongly worded letter, the MP urged urgent executive intervention, arguing that the country is facing structural failures that are worsening living conditions and undermining confidence in state institutions.

Energy Sector Concerns and “Dumsor” Resurgence

A major focus of the letter was the return of persistent power outages, popularly known as “dumsor,” which he said continues to disrupt businesses, households and critical public services.

He argued that the recurring outages reflect deeper structural challenges in the energy sector, including generation constraints, gas supply shortages and transmission inefficiencies involving key agencies such as the Electricity Company of Ghana, Northern Electricity Distribution Company and the GRIDCo.

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh also criticised the introduction of the GHS1 fuel levy, arguing that despite its implementation, consumers continue to face rising fuel prices and worsening power reliability. He called for an urgent suspension of the levy, publication of an energy sector audit, and immediate engagement with Independent Power Producers to restore stable generation capacity.

He further proposed structural reforms, including the merger of ECG and NEDCo, consolidation of hydro assets under a single authority, and the creation of an Independent Power Market Administrator to improve coordination across the power value chain.

Cocoa Sector and Farmer Welfare

The letter also raised concerns over recent reductions in cocoa producer prices, which he said are worsening the financial strain on farmers already facing high input costs and climate-related risks.

According to him, declining farm incomes could discourage production, increase cross-border smuggling and weaken Ghana’s position as a leading cocoa exporter. He urged government to introduce immediate income-support measures to cushion farmers and stabilize the sector.

He also noted liquidity challenges among Licensed Cocoa Buying Companies, which he said are affecting cocoa purchases and placing additional pressure on farmers.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Issues

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh also highlighted what he described as an emerging institutional crisis at the Environmental Protection Agency.

He alleged that large-scale recruitment of contract staff was undertaken without full financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance and before the constitution of a governing board. He also raised concerns about salary disparities and irregularities in staff placement.

He warned that such developments could weaken environmental regulation, mining oversight, climate finance readiness and investor confidence in Ghana’s regulatory systems.

The MP called for an urgent administrative and financial review of the recruitment process and strict compliance with public financial management procedures.

Food Distribution and School Feeding Challenges

Another key issue raised in the letter was Ghana’s food distribution system, where he pointed to a paradox of agricultural surplus coexisting with shortages in Senior High Schools.

He cited inefficiencies in storage, procurement and distribution networks linked to the National Food Buffer Stock Company, leading to waste at the farm level while schools experience shortages.

According to him, farmers are unable to sell produce despite bumper harvests, while imported food items continue to dominate markets.

He warned that without structural reforms, farmers could abandon production, worsening future food insecurity.

Call for Urgent Government Action

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh urged the President to convene an emergency energy sector task force, restore EPA salary structures where affected, introduce cocoa farmer support measures and overhaul food distribution systems.

He concluded that failure to address these challenges could have serious long-term consequences for Ghana’s economic stability and development.

“Overlooking the warning signs of the issues raised causes major setbacks in our national development,” he stated.