Dr. George Domfe, economics lecturer and public policy commentator, has reacted to the conviction of Ghanaian-American businessman Asante Kwaku Berko in the United States, recalling the hardship Ghanaians experienced during the power crisis under the previous John Mahama administration.
Dr. Domfe, who has written and commented on economic and public policy issues in Ghana, shared his views in a Facebook post following Berko’s conviction in a US federal court.
The businessman was found guilty by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, for his role in a scheme to pay more than $1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant project in Ghana.
The case has attracted attention in Ghana because the alleged bribery scheme was connected to the country’s energy sector during the period when Ghana was struggling with severe power shortages, popularly known as “dumsor”.
The power crisis, particularly between 2014 and 2016, affected households, businesses and industries, with frequent and unpredictable electricity outages disrupting economic activities and daily life.
In his Facebook post, Dr. Domfe reflected on the hardship caused by the crisis and suggested that while ordinary Ghanaians were suffering from prolonged power cuts, some individuals may have sought to benefit financially from efforts to resolve the energy problem.
“When we were enduring the legendary DUMSOR CRISIS in 2015, while households and businesses suffered in darkness, some people were apparently turning our collective pain into a private business opportunity,” he wrote.
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He said the development was a reminder that actions taken in the past could eventually come under scrutiny, adding that wrongdoing could not remain hidden forever.
Dr. Domfe further expressed hope that those who knowingly benefited from the difficulties faced by ordinary Ghanaians would eventually be held accountable.
Berko, a former Goldman Sachs executive and former Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery, faces a possible prison sentence following his conviction, with sentencing scheduled for November 10.
