ENERGY SECTOR: Chief of Staff convenes emergency meeting to address looming energy crisis

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has convened an emergency meeting with key players in the energy sector to tackle a looming power crisis, commonly referred to as “dumsor.”

The meeting, held on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, follows a directive from President John Dramani Mahama, issued just a day after his swearing-in as President of Ghana.

John Abdulai Jinapor, Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu and former Deputy Energy Minister, disclosed that the meeting brought together stakeholders from GRIDCo, WAPCo, VRA, GNPC, BOST, and other power generation entities. The focus was to devise both immediate and long-term strategies to stabilize power supply and avert nationwide outages.

“Extensive technical work was undertaken last night, and several options have been tabled for discussion. His Excellency will be briefed, and I am confident he will issue further directives through the Chief of Staff,” Mr. Jinapor told the media.

The current crisis stems from dwindling fuel stocks across major power plants.

AKSA has only five hours of fuel left, KTPP’s reserves will last just 1.5 days, and Asogli has completely depleted its stock. While Cenpower has reserves for 20.9 days, it is insufficient to meet national energy demand.

In response, a technical committee has been established to chart a path out of the crisis.

Acting Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu stated that the committee, which includes notable figures such as John Abdulai Jinapor, Emmanuel Kofi Buah, and Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, is expected to present a detailed road map to the government by the end of the day.

As Ghanaians await solutions, the Mahama administration is demonstrating urgency and resolve in its efforts to prevent further disruptions to the nation’s power supply and restore confidence in the energy sector.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith