Ghana’s energy sector stands on the brink of a major crisis as the nation faces massive looming load shedding due to critically depleted fuel stocks for power generation.
The impending situation, coupled with a scheduled maintenance shutdown of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAPCo), has sparked heated exchanges between outgone and the new administrations, with accusations of mismanagement and political sabotage dominating the discourse.
John Jinapor, Co-Chairman of the Transition Team Sub-Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has accused the outgone administration of deliberately neglecting its responsibility to secure fuel, thereby setting up the Mahama administration for failure.
“It is my honest belief that Ghanaians are discerning enough to know that this claim [by former President Akufo-Addo that he is leaving the lights on] was false, mischievous, and an attempt to set the incoming Mahama administration up.”
John Jinapor, Co-Chairman of the Transition Team Sub-Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Jinapor further alleged that the outgoing government coerced WAPCo into delaying the pipeline maintenance without making adequate provisions to address the resulting energy shortfall.
He described the decision as “unpatriotic and reckless,” warning of an impending power supply deficit of 1,000 MW starting January 20, 2025, which will last until fuel supplies are replenished—a process that could take up to 10 weeks.
Ghana’s electricity grid is under severe strain, with less than two days’ worth of Distillate Fuel Oil (DFO) and Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) currently available for power plants, according to the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo).
Adding to this challenge, WAPCo is set to commence its pipeline cleanup and inspection exercise from January 20 to February 16, 2025. The pipeline, which supplies natural gas from Nigeria to Ghana, is a critical component of Ghana’s gas-to-power infrastructure.
Initially scheduled for October 2024, the maintenance exercise was postponed to January 2025 at the request of the outgoing Akufo-Addo administration.
The stated reason for the delay was to allow time for the procurement of liquid fuel to mitigate gas shortfalls during the maintenance period. However, the necessary liquid fuel has not been ordered, leaving the incoming administration of President John Dramani Mahama with an imminent energy crisis.
Outgone Government’s Response
Former Minister for Energy Herbert Krapa has refuted these claims, stating that the Akufo-Addo administration left sufficient stock of light crude oil and heavy fuel oil to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
“By the time of leaving office, President Akufo-Addo’s government left in stock light crude oil, which Cenpower currently generates power with, whilst AKSA continues to take delivery of heavy fuel oil for its operations.”
John Jinapor, Co-Chairman of the Transition Team Sub-Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
He added that any potential load shedding would result from incompetence in managing the power sector rather than a lack of resources.
“The new administration must procure more liquid fuel and plan competently to avert power supply disruptions. We did it, and they can do it too, if they are capable,” Krapa remarked, urging the incoming government to focus on solutions rather than blame.
The looming energy crisis threatens to disrupt economic activities and exacerbate hardships for Ghanaians, who have faced recurrent power challenges over the years.
A power supply deficit of 1,000 MW represents a significant portion of the national grid’s capacity and would necessitate extensive load-shedding schedules across the country.
The situation is compounded by Ghana’s reliance on imported fuels and the complex logistics involved in procuring, shipping, and treating fuel for power generation.
Jinapor highlighted that it typically takes 4-6 weeks to procure a parcel of light crude oil and another 4 weeks to prepare it for use, underscoring the urgency of immediate action to avert prolonged outages.
The current crisis underscores systemic issues within Ghana’s energy sector, including mounting debt, inefficiencies, and governance challenges.
Moreover, the political nature of energy management has often resulted in short-term fixes rather than comprehensive, long-term strategies.
The postponement of WAPCo’s maintenance exercise, allegedly for political reasons, is emblematic of this approach.
President Mahama has pledged to take swift action to address the crisis, with his transition team exploring emergency measures to secure fuel supplies.
However, the incoming administration faces significant hurdles, including tight timelines and limited financial resources.
John Jinapor emphasized Mahama’s commitment to mitigating the crisis and ensuring stable power supply.
“The incoming administration is determined to use every avenue available to secure fuel supplies and avoid the consequences of this otherwise avoidable spectacle,” he said.
As Ghana faces the prospect of widespread load shedding, the blame game between the outgone and the new administrations highlights the need for greater accountability and forward-thinking policies in the energy sector.
While immediate action is required to address the current fuel shortfall, long-term solutions will be essential to ensure sustainable and reliable power supply for the nation.
The coming weeks will be a test of both leadership and resilience as the country navigates this challenging period.
