The Institute for Energy Security (IES) has issued a stark warning about an impending power crisis in Ghana, echoing concerns raised by Member of Parliament John Abdulai Jinapor. Jinapor, speaking following the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama on January 7th, 2024, revealed that Ghana possesses a critically low fuel supply, with only five hours remaining. He directly blamed the outgoing administration for failing to secure sufficient fuel reserves, leaving the incoming government in a precarious situation.
This dire assessment is supported by Nana Amoasi VII, Executive Director of the IES. In an interview on Citi FM's Eyewitness News, Amoasi VII highlighted the inherent fragility of Ghana's power sector, attributing the looming crisis to systemic inefficiencies and a lack of foresight in planning. He emphasized the over-reliance on natural gas and the absence of sufficient liquid fuel reserves as key vulnerabilities. While many power plants can operate on liquid fuel, the lack of adequate stock leaves the nation exposed to potential widespread outages.
Amoasi VII expressed disappointment with the transition process, noting the absence of proactive fuel procurement or lifting arrangements to ensure a seamless power supply. He criticized the lack of planning, stating, “It is not something that we were not expecting. Being watchers of the space, we knew very well that we had a very fragile power sector stemming from systemic inefficiencies, including poor planning.”
The IES is urging the Mahama administration to take immediate action to avert the crisis. The organization, along with other stakeholders, is calling for swift and decisive measures to stabilize the nation's power supply and prevent a repeat of the devastating "dumsor" power outages of the past. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated, with the potential for significant economic and social disruption looming large. The call to action is clear: immediate intervention is needed to prevent a national energy catastrophe.
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