A Former Minister of Power under the erstwhile NDC administration led by Former President John Dramani Mahama, has warned that the country is likely to face power supply challenges (Dumsor) within the next two years if the government fails to take any remedial measures now.
“This country is likely to face load shedding in the next two years if urgent steps are not taken from this moment to increase our power generation,” he stated while he advised that,” we encourage and finance VRA to put on additional thermal plant or we contract the private sector (IPPs) to increase their thermal capacity. Otherwise, there is no other way.”
He observed that the country was dangerously close to matching peak demand with total available supply of power just a couple of weeks ago in February when power consumption in the country surged to its highest peak.
“On the 15th of February 2022, our peak power demand was 3,343 Megawatts, on that day, our available power was 3,527 Megawatts. We had a surplus of only 180 Megawatts. So, we were dangerously close to matching peak demand with total available supply,” he explained.
According to the Member of Parliament for the Pru East constituency, the situation confronting the nation in its power sector demands an urgent national attention and he feels he owes it as a duty to caution the government since he was in charge as the Minister during the country’s last severe power challenges.
He said, “I happen to have been the Minister in charge of power when this country went through a very tremendous period in terms of power supply. Today, we are gradually creeping into a situation that if I don’t draw the nation’s attention, I would not have been doing my diligent duty to the people of Ghana”.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor, has therefore urged the President Akufo Addo led Government to take urgent steps to increase the country’s generation capacity immediately by setting up new power plants in order not to create power shortage challenges for the next government in case there is a change in Government.
“It is possible there would be a new government in the next three years and the retort will be that, this people have come again and there is load shedding. But load shedding would have come out of our inaction today and that is why I am drawing attention because our inaction today will create a load shedding tomorrow,” he further observed.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
