My Country Has Run out of Power – Mahama Admits in France

President John Mahama has said that Ghana has run out of power and the country is facing a reduced economic growth rate as a result.
Speaking at a press conference in Paris after a meeting with French President Francois Hollande, the president said “the most binding constraint to Africa’s economic development is the shortage of power.”
The country is in its fourth year of a crippling power paralysis which has affected economic activities in many ways. The president said his government is working tirelessly to generate more power to accelerate growth.
He cited government’s rural electrification project which he said has led to job creation especially in the rural areas.
“It is very interesting to see the difference that occurs as soon as you electrify the community. Suddenly small and medium enterprises crop up. are little restaurants; there are auto mechanic. People get more jobs to do. He called for a more innovative means of expanding power generation across the sub-region.

He said government is creating the right atmosphere for private investments into the power sector. Part of the discussions for the meeting with the French President was on Climate Change and Electrifying Africa.
Ghana’s president also expressed worry over climate change which he says is destroying opportunities for young people in Africa.
He believes the problem is partly encouraging the migration of Africa’s youth to Europe due to deforestation which makes agriculture impossible.
“Part of the reason for the migration from Africa why are young people are crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean is because of deforestation.
“We cannot discuss migration and climate change in isolation,”