A political and social analyst who also lectures at the University of Cape Coast, Jonathan Asante Otchere, has forecasted that the current intermittent power outages will have a detrimental impact on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming December 7, 2024 general elections.
Speaking on Connect FM’s Kokromotsir Political Program with host Wofa Ato Koomson on Thursday, April 25, Dr. Otchere stressed the significance of energy-related issues in influencing voters’ choices.
He pointed out that in 2016, during the tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the NPP capitalized on ‘dumsor’ as a major campaign issue, leading to the defeat of the former.
Dr. Otchere noted that history appears to be repeating itself, using the Akan proverb “Abaa yedi bo Takyi no, ye di bo Baah,” which translates to “The cane used on Takyi is also used on Baah,” to illustrate the situation.
He emphasized that the ongoing energy crisis will be a crucial factor for voters in the upcoming elections and will significantly impact the NPP’s electoral prospects.
Dr. Otchere recounted incidents at the UCC campus where students had to endure uncomfortable heat during exams due to power outages, highlighting the stress it caused.
Additionally, he shared his personal experience of having to sleep in his car due to power outages, stating, “Last week I slept in my car for hours before going home in the night because of ‘dumsor,’ because the kind of heat we are enduring today is unbearable.”
Dr. Jonathan Asante Otchere emphasized that voters prioritize factors such as the economy, infrastructure development, high inflation rates, and corruption when casting their votes, and these factors will be evident in the December elections.