BY VALENTIA TETTEH
The Minority in Parliament has accused government of abandoning a structured recovery plan for Ghana’s energy sector, arguing that the current power challenges stem from delays in implementing reforms already put in place by the previous administration.
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday, April 28, Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy and Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako-Mensah, said the current administration inherited a clear roadmap for resolving the sector’s longstanding financial and operational difficulties.
Mr Adomako-Mensah said the previous administration left behind the Energy Sector Recovery Programme (ESRP), which he described as a comprehensive framework designed to address vulnerabilities in the electricity sector.
“The government of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia did not leave behind a broken sector without solutions. They left behind the Energy Sector Recovery Programme, a comprehensive, internationally agreed framework designed to address the financial and operational vulnerabilities of Ghana’s electricity sector,” he stated.
According to him, the programme was negotiated with the International Monetary Fund as part of Ghana’s Extended Credit Facility and contained specific timelines, targets, and commitments.
“It was not a wish list. It was a working plan, agreed with international partners and designed to be implemented with urgency,” he added.
Concerns over sector finances
Mr Adomako-Mensah said the IMF had projected Ghana’s energy sector financial shortfall at $2.2 billion, while Ghana’s Finance Minister had also acknowledged that cumulative shortfalls could exceed $9 billion by 2026 without urgent reforms.
He further noted that obligations to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) remained outstanding, while losses at the Electricity Company of Ghana continued to affect revenue mobilisation.
“Revenue collection failures at ECG, with distribution losses exceeding 25 percent of electricity generated, have been documented, flagged, and handed to this government with a clear prescription for resolution,” he said.
The Ranking Member accused the government of failing to act decisively after assuming office.
“What did the Mahama government do with this inheritance? It delayed. It diluted. It rebadged the crisis as a maintenance programme. It renamed dumsor as upgrades,” he stated.
He further alleged that the administration had presided over the worsening of financial pressures in the sector.
Capacity versus management
Mr Adomako-Mensah maintained that Ghana’s current challenge is not a lack of generation capacity, but issues relating to management, financing, and infrastructure.
According to him, Ghana has installed generation capacity of over 5,200 megawatts, against peak demand of about 4,300 megawatts.
“On paper, we have more than sufficient generation capacity to keep the lights on. The crisis has never been about how much power we can generate. It has always been a financial, managerial, and infrastructural failure,” he said.
Call for action
The Minority says government must urgently address inefficiencies in the sector, improve revenue collection, and meet financial obligations to power producers to ensure stable electricity supply across the country.
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Source:
www.gbcghanaonline.com