Ghana, one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, is facing a severe power crisis that has plunged most parts of the country into darkness. The power outage, which started on Thursday evening, was caused by a lack of gas supply to a major power plant in Tema, near the capital, Accra. According to the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), the power operator, the situation has resulted in “a supply gap of 550MW at peak time”.
The power crisis has worsened the country’s economic woes, which include high inflation, a depreciating currency, mounting debts, and low public revenues. The World Bank has warned that Ghana faces an extremely challenging outlook and needs urgent reforms to address its fiscal and structural problems. The high cost of living has also sparked anti-government protests and calls for removing the central bank governor over alleged mismanagement.
The government has blamed the gas shortage on technical issues at the West African Gas Pipeline, which supplies gas from Nigeria to Ghana and neighboring countries. It has also cited delays in the completion of a new gas processing plant in Atuabo, which is expected to boost domestic gas production. The government has assured the public that it is working to restore normal power supply as soon as possible.
However, some experts and analysts have questioned the government’s handling of the energy sector and its ability to meet the growing demand for electricity. They have pointed out that Ghana has been experiencing recurrent power outages, known locally as “dumsor”, for several years due to poor maintenance, mismanagement, and corruption. They have also criticized the government for failing to pay its debts to independent power producers, who have threatened to shut down their operations.
Ghana relies on a mix of hydro and thermal sources for power generation, but both have faced challenges in recent years. The country’s hydroelectric dams have suffered from low water levels due to droughts and climate change, while its thermal plants have faced frequent disruptions due to gas shortages and breakdowns. The country has also struggled to diversify its energy sources and increase its renewable energy capacity.
The power crisis has affected various sectors of the economy and society, including businesses, industries, health facilities, schools, and households. Many people have expressed their frustration and anger over the situation on social media platforms such as X (formerly known as Twitter). Some have also called for more accountability and transparency from the government and the power sector agencies.
The power crisis has also highlighted the need for more regional cooperation and integration in the energy sector among West African countries. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched several initiatives to promote energy trade and interconnection in the region, such as the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA). However, these initiatives have faced various challenges, such as political instability, security threats, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory barriers.
Despite the current challenges, some experts and observers remain optimistic about Ghana’s energy future. They believe that Ghana has the potential to overcome its power crisis and become a net exporter of electricity in the region. They point out that Ghana has abundant natural resources such as gas, oil, solar, wind, and biomass that can be harnessed for power generation. They also commend Ghana for improving its energy efficiency and conservation measures.
Source: GhanaWeb
