Ghana faces a potential energy crisis as fuel shortages threaten to plunge the nation into a new wave of power outages, commonly referred to as “dumsor.”
The issue has ignited a war of words between the outgoing and incoming governments, with both sides trading accusations.
John Jinapor, Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu and Co-Chairman of the Energy Transition Team, has raised alarm over the dire state of the country’s fuel reserves.
Speaking on January 7, 2025, following the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama, Jinapor revealed that Ghana’s fuel stock is critically low, with only five hours of reserves remaining.
“Our checks indicate that we have less than two days’ worth of heavy fuel oil and diesel. If no immediate action is taken, we could face significant power outages,” Jinapor warned in an interview with Joy News.
The MP criticized the outgoing Akufo-Addo administration, accusing it of failing to order sufficient fuel supplies to sustain power generation.
“During the transition, we were assured that fuel parcels had been procured, but current checks show otherwise. It takes an average of eight weeks to process and receive new fuel orders, leaving the incoming administration in a precarious position,” he said.
In response, Herbert Krapa, former Minister for Energy under the Akufo-Addo administration, refuted the claims, describing them as baseless and alarmist. In a statement, Krapa assured Ghanaians that the outgoing administration had left sufficient fuel stock for immediate needs.
“By the time we left office, light crude oil and heavy fuel oil stocks were available for power plants such as Cenpower and AKSA. These facts can be verified with a simple call to the power plants,” Krapa stated.
He called on the new administration to take responsibility for procuring additional fuel and ensuring uninterrupted power supply, emphasizing that competent management is crucial to averting a crisis.
“We kept the lights on for eight years, even during difficult times. The incoming government must rise to the challenge instead of resorting to finger-pointing,” Krapa added.
As tensions between the two political factions escalate, energy experts warn that immediate action is required to prevent prolonged outages. With fuel shortages threatening critical sectors, the incoming administration faces mounting pressure to address the issue swiftly.
For now, Ghanaians await concrete steps from the government to avert another era of dumsor.
