The Electricity Company of Ghana is yet to comply with the directives by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) to produce a timetable for the ongoing power outages across the country.
However, in what many Ghanaians have described as a deliberate ploy by the power distributing company to deny that it has a power deficit to supply, the Electricity Company of Ghana in a statement indicated that some suburbs in the Greater Accra Region would be affected by power outages.
The statement attributed the situation to what the company described as a reduction in power supply by the Ghana Grid Company Limited to its Pokuase Bulk Supply Point.
These suburbs include Kwabenya, Agbogba, Mayera, Part of Teiman, Ayi Mensah, Ketapor, Top Herbal, Bohye, Abloradjei, Pure Water, Pokuase township, Fountain, Gate and its surrounding areas.
Ghana’s Power Sector Plunges into Indebtedness
Meanwhile, Nana Amoasi VII, Executive Director for the Institute for Energy Security (IES) has strongly asserted that the main challenge confronting the country’s power sector is mainly an issue of lack of finance.
He expressed deep concerns about the current government’s failure to make good use of the proceeds of the Energy Sector Levy, which was purposefully set up by the Mahama administration to pay off the country’s legacy debt in the power sector.
“It is debt that has brought us to this point. Unfortunately, we are still incurring debt each passing month, and we are not paying enough.
” If today where we stand today, we owe over 1.5 billion dollar and we are seeing dumsor, the next month the government cannot clear all the debt and the next two months it has not given us any indication that it would be able to pay it, then the debt would continue to increase”
Nana Amoasi VII, Energy Expert
The renowned energy expert thus warned that if the debt crisis confronting the country’s power sector is not addressed, the country will likely be plunged into a complete power crisis in 2025.
Also, the Executive Director for Global Info Analytics, Musa Danquah, commenting on the development unleashed scathing criticism against the Electricity Company of Ghana, alleging deliberate concealment of power supply information.
Mr Danquah’s fiery remarks came in response to ECG’s refusal to comply with the Public Utility Regulatory Commission’s (PURC) directive to furnish a timetable elucidating the ongoing power disruptions.
Musa Danquah, renowned for his expertise in data analytics and public policy, minced no words as he criticized the ECG for what he deemed a flagrant disregard for truth and transparency.
In his statement, Mr Danquah denounced the utility company’s actions as tantamount to deceit, asserting that the citizens of Ghana deserve unvarnished honesty regarding the prevailing energy crisis.
He emphasized that the repercussions of ECG’s obfuscation extend far beyond inconvenience, alleging that it is causing tangible harm to both the economy and public welfare.
Expressing profound disappointment with the government’s handling of the ongoing power crisis, Mr Danquah demanded accountability and transparency from the authorities.
He underscored the imperative of acknowledging the gravity of the situation and allowing citizens to plan their lives accordingly, free from the shackles of misinformation and uncertainty.
It is important to state that the absence of a load management timetable from ECG has exacerbated the frustration among Ghanaians already grappling with the recent erratic power supply.
The searing indictment by Mr Danquah underscores the deep-seated frustration brewing within the populace, as businesses reel from the economic fallout and citizens endure the dire consequences of erratic power supply.
Beyond mere inconvenience, the ramifications extend to the very fabric of society, with reports emerging of infants succumbing to the adverse effects of prolonged blackouts.
The refusal of ECG to adhere to the PURC’s directives has only served to exacerbate public ire, fueling suspicions of ulterior motives and perceived ‘clandestine machinations’ among the various power-distributing companies in the country.
In addition, with each passing day of opacity, the trust in the country’s institutions dwindles, casting a shadow over the prospects of a transparent and accountable governance framework.
In light of these developments, ECG must prioritize transparency and compliance with regulatory directives.
Additionally, the government must take urgent steps to address the underlying issues plaguing the power sector, including the legacy debt and inefficiencies in energy management.
It is only through concerted efforts and decisive action that can help the country to avert future crises and ensure a reliable and sustainable power supply for its citizens.
