John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister of Energy and Green Transition
Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, has refuted claims circulating on social media that attribute to him comments describing residents of Tamale as “power thieves.”
In a press statement on April 28, 2025, John Jinapor dismissed the reports as “entirely false, contrived, and baseless,” urging the public to disregard such assertions.
“The audio-visual recordings will confirm that at no point during my visit did I refer to the people of Tamale as power thieves,” the Minister emphasised.
John Jinapor clarified that during his visit, he had merely highlighted concerns about the high Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection (ATC&C) losses within the operational region of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).
He noted that these losses have significantly contributed to the frequent power outages experienced in parts of the country.
“For the avoidance of doubt, technical and collection losses have nothing to do with power theft but rather reflect inefficiencies within the utility company,” he stated.
The Minister further stressed the urgent need for reforms in Tamale’s power sector, calling for “significant investments and operational improvements” to address ongoing challenges.
He added that enhancing revenue collection and improving technical operations is essential to achieving a reliable, consistent, and uninterrupted power supply for the people of Tamale.
Dr John Abdulai Jinapor also reaffirmed his profound respect, loyalty, and deep connection to the people of Tamale, whom he described as his kinsmen.
He emphasised that any reports or claims suggesting otherwise are entirely false and without merit, and urged the public to treat such misinformation with the contempt it deserves.
“Let me finally assure the chiefs, elders, and people of Tamale of my utmost respect and reverence for them. I would never use derogatory words to describe my own people,” the Minister said.