The Director of the Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, Benjamin Nsiah, has called on Energy Minister John Jinapor to acknowledge the existing shortfall in the energy sector and work with stakeholders to find solutions.
Nsiah cited data from Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson and the Energy Commission, indicating a significant energy deficit.
He attributed part of the problem to the reduction in gas supply from the West African Gas Pipeline Company to 60 million standard cubic feet per day due to Ghana’s $20 million outstanding debt. Nsiah warned that this shortfall would inevitably lead to load shedding, despite assurances from the Finance Minister that there would be none.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Wednesday, March 12, Nsiah emphasized that having sufficient installed capacity does not guarantee adequate power generation if fuel supply remains inadequate.
“It is not just about having installed capacity. Yes, you may have the infrastructure, but if the fuel is not available to generate power, then you cannot produce the required electricity. If you have the dependable capacity but lack natural gas, generation becomes impossible.
“Based on data published by the Energy Commission and the recent figures presented by the Minister himself, I think that there is a shortfall in our generation. So now the minister must just admit and find a way of us all coming together to resolve it,” he stated.
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