Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Benjamin Boakye, has cautioned that the incoming Mahama government will face immediate challenges, especially in the energy sector, and won’t have time for a smooth or relaxed start.

“The energy situation demands a careful, surgical examination to ensure you hit the ground running on January 7,” Boakye stated in his open letter to President-elect John Mahama.

Highlighting the scale of the issues, he pointed to over GH¢50 billion in annual waste in the energy sector alone, which he said undermines public trust and economic stability.

He described the systemic failures in the energy sector as a microcosm of broader governance issues, warning that inefficiencies in state agencies, declining investor confidence in the upstream oil and gas sector, and bloated administrative structures demand immediate attention.

“This message is not meant to be lengthy, but to state that you would not have the luxury of a ‘honeymoon’ in this situation,” Ben Boakye cautioned.

He emphasized that the new government should focus on transparency and urged the transition team to reveal the full amount of debt in the energy sector before taking office.

Ben Boakye also pointed out the need to quickly fix problems in the downstream petroleum sector and rebuild investor confidence to stop the decline in the upstream sector.

“We can attract a minimum of $2 billion in investments by 2025, but only with swift, decisive action,” he said.

The challenges extend beyond energy, encompassing a strained economy and heightened public expectations following Mahama’s landslide victory.

Ben Boakye expressed hope that constructive policy ideas from the public domain would be embraced to tackle these challenges head-on.