Many parts of Ghana are expected to experience power outages for the next three weeks due to a shortage in gas supply from Nigeria.
The state electricity company released a statement explaining the cause of the temporary power stoppage, attributing it to maintenance work at an unnamed Nigerian gas supplier.
“Due to a reduction in gas supply from Nigeria since yesterday, Wednesday, 12th June 2024, some areas across the country have experienced an interruption in power supply. The reduction in gas supply was due to maintenance works being undertaken by a gas supplier in Nigeria and is projected to last three weeks,” the statement read.
The company assured the public that it would manage the disruptions effectively to minimize the impact on essential services during the period of reduced gas supply.
This development comes just two months after President Nana Akufo-Addo halted electricity supplies to Togo, Burkina Faso, and Benin due to supply issues. Ghana has been grappling with worsening power shortages in recent years amid its worst economic crisis in a decade.
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Elikplim Kwabla Apetogbor, chairman of the association representing private electricity suppliers, revealed that the state power company owes them $1.6 billion (£1.3 billion), prompting threats of operational shutdowns last July.
Ghana, a major exporter of gold and cocoa, has increasingly relied on gas as a primary energy source for electricity generation. While the country primarily generates electricity from hydroelectric and thermal sources, the maintenance of these facilities sometimes falls short.
The government and the electricity company are working to mitigate the impact of these outages and find a long-term solution to the country’s ongoing energy challenges.
