Energy Crisis – How To Lessen The Impact

What passes for the Ghanaian situation is nothing more than a tragic arena, and the ordinary, helpless citizen remains its frontline casualty even as the political baton continues to savour the shift from one administration to the other.

The political vampires, including those claiming to be public-spirited and people-centred, have turned the ordinary citizen into a mere inert resource for their diabolical schemes over the years. They have a reckoning with their conscience; That is, if they really know what that word means.

One can only hope that while mouthing sanctimonious platitudes in the wake of the worsening power crisis, they have all now learnt that do-or-die politics does not determine who has the Midas touch for sound policy implementation and people-centred development. Indeed, democracy contains the seed for its own destruction!

Welcome to Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana, where you do not need to order a plate of divisive, vituperative, ethnocentric and image-bruising politics on any day, but you will be served with more than you can consume daily. It epitomises the cacophonous jabbering of a sports stadium where orderliness is only a common sense consideration when both teams are headed for an unexpected deadlock.

A lot has been said about what needs to be done to head off the looming nationwide black out that stares us menacingly in the face. Before I get down to business, I must disclaim here that I seek to advance no politician’s cause and the decision to put my thoughts together in the piece, is borne purely out of patriotism. So the politicians may have to excuse themselves because I don’t intend to take any prisoners here. I am also not an energy expert so I will not attempt to be more catholic than the Pope.

A friend once shared a hilarious story with me when he returned from a vacation in France. Immediately he arrived at his aunt’s (in France), the first thing he did was to plug his phone to charge. He said if he wasn’t making a call or replying a text, he will be charging his phone. Having observed him for a while, his aunt who could no longer hold her laughter said to him; “You don’t need to charge your device all the time, relax, ECG will not take light.” Of course I do not blame him because I’m quite sure anyone who has lived in Ghana almost all his life would likely do same. He was so conscious of the power that it took him time to realize he was out of Ghana

Ghana today is a country where power is valued more than food (in some cases). Electricity is scarce like rainfall in dry season. People cannot hide their excitement when power is restored after a long black out. You see children screaming and dancing on the streets, people rushing to charge their devices, while others virtually ‘fly’ to go do a marathon ironing of their cloths (at least for the next 7 days) before the epileptic power supply suffers another all too familiar seizure.

A lot of businesses are collapsing while some very competent folks are also being laid off all because of the menacing impact of the raging energy crisis which has given no indication of abating. Even some media house have cut down on submission hours in seeking relief from the seemingly endless coffers-emptying energy crisis.

One frustrated consumer posted on his facebook wall during the African cup of nations tournament early this year; “The ECG last Friday surprised many when it managed to provide light for Ghanaians to watch football while businesses continue to suffer and fold up due to the epileptic power supply situation”.

“For days, some parts of the country had not seen their lights blink but when the black stars were to play, the ECG provided uninterrupted power for the entire duration of the game (power was restored 5 minutes before the match, and it went off again 5 minutes after the match)”

“If this was a mere coincidence, then businesses need to experience same to stem the tide of downsizing which is being done on the quiet in some organisations across the country, all thanks to the 'hard work' of ECG whose 'competence' has upped the cost of running businesses, hence owners' inability to pay staff and run at a high cost at the same time”.

“We dont need light to watch football only to be told afterwards that some people even took monies without signing for it by personalities who should know better. The tax payer whose money is being abused this way, is the one whose business in on a life-support machine today. ECG should provide light to save businesses from collapse”.

“Let's not forget, the players will be paid from the tax payers' sweat, but the tax payer himself is running at a loss so how does he pay tax? As I speak, lights are off at some many places, and businesses are running at extra cost. It’s no longer funny, we must get our priorities right!! God bless our homeland Ghana”. The comments that threaded this statement can only be left to the imagination of all

One of the compelling contributions to the worsening energy crisis that has been battled over several decades in Ghana is the role high-rising buildings play in all this debacle. Putting up those high-risers has assumed unbridled popularity among commercial property developers especially, in the major cities across the country, with Accra leading the pack. The now blossoming airport city, is the hotbed of breath-taking, tastefully-appointed architecture, immersed in carefully-crafted interior designs to pamper their targets with sublime allure. Prominent among them are; the twin Vodafone/UT towers, Stanbic Heights, Silver Star tower, Marina Mall, Holiday Inn Hotel, SNNIT building, UNA agencies, African Sun Amber Hotel, among others (with some still under construction).

Each building has between 5 to 15 floors or even more. They are all fitted with high energy-consuming air conditioners which provide the much-needed breeze to all parts of the buildings including their flight of stairs and elevator cabins. Each building also has a stand-by generator, the least of which costs about $50,000, with varying recurring expenditure on fuel and routine servicing owing to the pressure brought on them by the epileptic power supply situation.

As a layman, I have done a cognitive analysis of the situation and I can say without a shred of doubt that until we task those putting up such structures to also contribute to dealing with the crisis, the nation may be headed for total darkness. This is my deduction! What stops a luxury apartment which cost $6000 or more a month in rent, from turning to solar at a critical time as this? Especially when that can help save the cost of buying, servicing and fuelling a generator?

For those high-risers still under construction, a national policy can be introduced so that those which are to have more than eight storeys, will sacrifice one floor. That is, if the building was planned to have ten floors, it will be reduced to nine. The cost of the sacrificed floor, together with what would have been used to buy a generator, will then be invested in solar to provide electricity to that building. That saves the owners and prospective tenants, the cost of generator(s), fuel and servicing as well as payment of monthly electricity bills.

The initial capital needed to install solar panels, I am told, is heavy, but I am convinced that if this suggestion is taken, with time, the benefit thereof will make better sense than routinely investing in generators, fuels and electricity bills. One building of eight floors, has between 30 to 60 high-energy-consuming air conditioners fitted in them to cool temperatures.

For high-risers that are already in use, there should be a national policy to wean them off the national grid so that they can also turn to solar and help save the nation some megawatts in the long run. Owners can be baited with subsidies on importation of solar panels to make the policy a practicable one. The overall benefit of such a move will accrue to them, because, the routine payment of electricity bills, buying, fuelling and servicing generators will be a thing of the past and Akosombo or Bui Dam will mean nothing to power supply to such properties.

If such a policy is put in place and owners of such tall buildings are prevailed upon to comply, some residential property developers may also willingly buy into the idea and help save the nation further distress which have compelled even individuals to resort to generators to save their businesses from collapse. Between Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout and Tema Station, there are more than 30 of such buildings if not more, and if all of them are taken off the national grid through such a policy, that alone will be a reason to heave some sigh of relief. The power demands of those high risers should no longer be the responsibility of the state. Owners of such facilities should also be up and doing because, it’s obvious successive governments have been at sea as to what to do.

In the midst of all the suffering from the energy crisis, which is stifling businesses and causing some to fold up on the quiet, some public officials have over the years have also demonstrated the recklessness and heartlessness that only mirrors the thinking of the ruling class, irrespective of political affiliation. Statements like; “pay more or light candles”, “if you can’t manage your business, don’t blame dumsor”, among others, have been heaped on the helpless Ghanaian even as they continue to count their losses.

The suggestion that owners of such buildings should be tasked to explore the solar option or whatever they can, may be drastic but in the long run, the nation stands the benefit a great deal. If fearlessly implemented nationwide, the ordinary Ghanaian is the eventual winner. Ghana must not fail