GRIDCo must come out with load-shedding timetable to allow businesses to plan accordingly – Armah-Kofi Buah

Former Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has indicated that Ghana is currently grappling with a severe case of Load Shedding, commonly known as Dumsor.

In the last two days, numerous areas have experienced long hours of light out reportedly due to the unavailability of gas to fuel thermal plants within the Tema enclave which can be attributed to financial constraints.

According to him, the absence of a load-shedding timetable has compounded the situation as it hampers households and businesses from planning.

In a statement, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah who is also MP for Ellembelle urged GRIDCo to “come out with a load-shedding timetable to allow households and businesses to plan better” as a matter of urgency.

He insists that the lack of transparency and communication regarding the power outage schedule only adds to the frustration and inconvenience experienced by the affected population.

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah in his statement said the loud silence of the current load-shedding is deafening.

Read the statement issued by the Ellembelle MP below.

Ghana is currently grappling with a severe case of Load Shedding, commonly known as Dumsor.

The situation is evidently clear, with 500 MW of load being shed as of tonight, January 9th, 2024.

Numerous areas have been plunged into darkness due to the unavailability of gas to fuel thermal plants within the Tema enclave which can be attributed to financial constraints.

Specifically, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is currently unable to fulfill its payment obligations to the West African Gas Pipeline, which is responsible for transporting gas from Takoradi to Tema for power generation. You can also track the ultimate problem to the weakest link in the value chain -ECG’s inability to pay off-takers.

Compounding the situation is the absence of a load-shedding timetable, which hampers households and businesses from planning accordingly.

The lack of transparency and communication regarding the power outage schedule only adds to the frustration and inconvenience experienced by the affected population.

It is worth highlighting that even during the worst periods of Dumsor in the past, the power outage never reached the 500 megawatts threshold currently being shed yet the media associated with the NPP interestingly see this as no “Dumsor.”

Their loud silence on the current situation is deafening.

The Ghana Grid Company must, as a matter of urgency, come out with a load-shedding timetable to allow households and businesses to plan better.