Our Students Deserve Stability: Sammi Awuku Joins Calls for Stable Power Ahead of Exams | Discuss Ghana

In a direct appeal to the Jubilee House, the Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Hon. Sammi Awuku, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to prioritize the stabilization of the national grid to protect students sitting for the 2026 national examinations.

Taking to social media yesterday, Monday, April 27, 2026, the MP expressed deep concern that the recurring outages, or "dumsor," are creating unnecessary anxiety for candidates at a "defining moment" in their academic lives.

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The "Exam Season" Crisis

Sammi Awuku highlighted that thousands of students are currently in the heat of their academic evaluations, where reliable lighting is not just a convenience, but a necessity for performance.

WASSCE Candidates: Practical examinations for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) began exactly one week ago, on April 21, 2026.

BECE Candidates: Students preparing for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) are scheduled to begin their exams in just six days, on Monday, May 4, 2026.

The "Concentration" Factor: Awuku warned that power cuts during late-night revision sessions break concentration and "slow down learning" during the most critical revision window.

"We are all experiencing it again, this on-and-off power situation, and honestly, it’s becoming quite worrying... When lights go off in the middle of studying, it creates unnecessary anxiety at a time when they need calm and focus the most." — Sammi Awuku, April 27, 2026.

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Beyond the Classroom

The lawmaker also noted that the power instability is hitting the youth beyond the academic sphere, specifically targeting young entrepreneurs and small-scale workers who rely on electricity for their daily bread.

The Business Impact: From barbershops to digital startups, Awuku noted that the "on-and-off" situation is "undermining" the efforts of young people trying to build their own enterprises under the 24-Hour Economy framework.

Government Response: "Not Dumsor, But Upgrades"

While Sammi Awuku is calling for immediate fixes, President Mahama and Energy Minister Dr. John Jinapor have maintained that the situation is being managed.

Technical Restoration: As of today, Tuesday, April 28, two of the three damaged generating units at Akosombo have been restored following last week's fire.

Infrastructure Upgrades: The President recently stated that the current challenges are the result of "unprecedented" infrastructure upgrades—including the replacement of 2,500 transformers—designed to end the cycle of outages for good once completed in mid-May.

GRIDCo Leadership: In a move for "accountability," the CEO of GRIDCo was asked to step aside yesterday as investigations into the Akosombo fire continue.