President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government's commitment to resolving Ghana's energy challenges and preventing a return to the debilitating "Dumsor" power outages. Addressing the National Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission Ghana on Thursday, January 9th, President Mahama acknowledged the precarious situation within the energy sector and offered assurances of his administration's proactive efforts to stabilize the electricity supply.
He urged Ghanaians to remain optimistic, highlighting the implementation of measures designed to prevent widespread power shortages and ensure a reliable electricity supply. His comments come amidst growing anxieties over fuel shortages impacting thermal plants and delays in crucial pipeline maintenance by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo). Experts have warned that these issues, if left unaddressed, could trigger a significant energy crisis.
President Mahama emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “We are assuming office at a critical time in our nation’s history. Ghana is faced with significant challenges. But that is exactly the reason why you elected us. We will transparently let you understand what those challenges are and we will take responsibility for solving them.” He directly addressed the threat of power outages, urging citizens not to despair: “There is a threat of power outages but my brothers and sisters, don’t despair. You elected us to solve the problems not to put the blame on anybody else. I can assure you of some of the ideas they have come up with. We will make sure that your lights stay on.”
A significant development in averting an immediate crisis occurred on January 9th when WAPCo agreed to postpone its scheduled pipeline maintenance for two weeks. This decision followed intense negotiations facilitated by a technical committee assembled by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, specifically tasked with addressing the looming energy crisis. The maintenance, originally planned to begin that week, had been identified by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) as a major threat to the nation's electricity supply. GRIDCo had warned that the existing fuel shortages at thermal plants, coupled with the disruption in gas supply from the pipeline, would severely compromise Ghana's power generation capabilities.
The President's assurances, coupled with the timely postponement of the pipeline maintenance, offer a temporary reprieve. However, the underlying issues of fuel shortages and the need for long-term solutions to Ghana's energy infrastructure remain critical challenges that require sustained attention and decisive action from the government. The success of these efforts will be crucial in ensuring a stable and reliable electricity supply for Ghanaians.
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