As the Minority in Parliament put pressure on President John Dramani Mahama to reshuffle his ministerial team, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has openly expressed his desire to stay at post, citing what he described as strong performance, reforms and improving fortunes within the energy sector.
Mr Jinapor made the remarks during a ministerial and Chief executives’ retreat held in Takoradi, where he addressed heads of agencies under the Energy Ministry and spoke candidly about ministerial appointments, performance assessments and job security within government.
“All of us are fighting to keep our jobs. That is the reality and that is the truth,” the Energy Minister said, stressing that appointments and reshuffles remain the sole prerogative of the President.
“The President assesses the ministers and decides who stays and who does not stay.”
However, Mr. Jinapor left little doubt about his personal position, declaring “I am very happy with this job and I want to stay.”
The Minister linked his confidence to what he described as an excellent working relationship with chief executives and heads of energy sector institutions, insisting that his leadership style has helped stabilise operations and restore confidence.
“You can attest that my working relationship with you has been excellent. I am not a minister who makes unnecessary demands and I do not intrude into your day-to-day activities. What I insist on is that we do the right thing,” he told the gathering.
Mr. Jinapor noted that the energy sector, long plagued by instability and financial distress, is beginning to receive positive public recognition, a development he believes strengthens the case for continuity at the ministry.
“The energy sector appears to be getting a lot of credit. If we can continue like this, we will all keep our jobs,” he said.
He announced that 2026 would mark a turning point for the sector, with a shift from consolidation to aggressive reforms.
“Next year, we are not going to be walking or crawling; we are going to be sprinting,” he declared, adding that ambitious reforms spanning electricity generation, transmission, distribution, petroleum and renewable energy had already been submitted to Cabinet.
While acknowledging that some of the planned reforms may be unpopular, the Minister insisted they were necessary for the long-term health of the economy.
“We must not put our personal emotions or interests ahead of the national interest,” he cautioned.
Mr. Jinapor highlighted notable improvements in the sector’s finances, revealing that Independent Power Producers (IPPs), who previously received about 35 per cent of their monthly invoices, are now being paid in full.
“Most IPPs received 100 per cent of their bills this year,” he said, attributing the progress to tough but necessary decisions, including cost-cutting and reforms to cash waterfall mechanisms.
He also commended institutions such as the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Petroleum Commission and Ghana National Gas Company for improved performance, revenue collection and operational discipline.
On power supply, the Energy Minister said Ghana has enjoyed several months of uninterrupted electricity supply, even during peak demand periods, describing the achievement as unprecedented in recent years.
“We have hit a new peak demand of over 4,100 megawatts, and for about eight months now, there has not been a single day of load shedding,” he said, expressing pride in the sector’s resilience.
Mr. Jinapor also reflected on the early days of the Mahama administration, when he faced intense criticism over power challenges inherited from the previous government.
He noted that results in the energy sector take time due to the capital-intensive and long-gestation nature of investments.
“Initially, some people called me the worst performing minister, but today, the same people are calling me the best performing energy minister,” he said.
As political speculation mounts over an impending cabinet reshuffle, Mr. John Jinapor’s comments are widely seen as a signal of confidence in his stewardship of the energy sector and a clear indication of his readiness to continue serving should President Mahama decide to retain him.
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