Els: MBN360 Politics
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, the Energy Minister, Honourable Jinapor outlined how the current administration inherited a power sector marked by financial and operational challenges from the previous government.
He disclosed that the government recognised the scale of the crisis and immediately confronted it with structural reforms.
“When we inherited office, we told you the challenge and confronted it head-on. We implemented structural reforms across the entire value chain from generation, transmission through distribution and its related areas.”Honourable John Abdulai Jinapor, MP for Yapei-Kusawgu, Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
The administration found a sector where the World Bank’s partial risk guarantee of $500 million had been completely depleted by the previous government.
Officials worked to repay over $1.4 billion in energy sector debt to restore the confidence of international partners and local service providers.
Structural reforms were implemented across the entire value chain, from generation through distribution, to ensure measurable results for the Ghanaian people.
The Minister emphasised that these reforms have proven successful, as the nation has experienced a prolonged period of relatively stable power supply.
Discipline in the distribution sector led to increased revenue collection and the establishment of a framework that prioritizes efficiency over wasteful expenditure. The government shifted from the reckless spending patterns of the past to a model focused on building critical infrastructure for national productivity.
Legislative and executive coordination enabled increased gas consumption from the Jubilee, TEN, and ENI fields, helping to stabilize the domestic fuel supply chain. This strategic move ensured that independent power producers had the resources needed to meet the growing energy demands of the Ghanaian economy.
The Minister noted that the sector remains resilient despite recent technical challenges and the unfortunate fire incident at the Akosombo plant. He maintained that the overall trajectory of the power sector remains strong and progressive compared to the instability experienced under the previous administration.
Government engineers have remained onsite for three consecutive days to address damage to the control room at the Akosombo generation plant. The Minister personally visited the site to receive briefings and supervise emergency technical interventions aimed at restoring the stranded 1,000 megawatts.
Government Leads Aggressive Power Recovery After Akosombo Disruption
The Energy Minister also confirmed that the second-generation unit at Akosombo is now producing power following intensive work by state engineers under difficult conditions.
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This technical success demonstrates the effectiveness of innovative solutions deployed by the government to bypass the damaged control room.
The fire incident represented one of the most serious disruptions in the nation’s history, crippling the evacuation system at the main hydro plant.
The administration responded with urgency and coordination to ensure that the loss of Akosombo did not result in a total national blackout.
Engineers are currently working on the third unit, which will pave the way for the remaining units to be brought back online. The Minister expressed pride in the professionalism of the technical teams, who remained onsite until the system began to recover.
According to the Minister, the President has instructed the Ministry to maintain honesty and transparency with the Ghanaian people regarding temporary supply gaps caused by the fire.
This directive ensures that the Electricity Company of Ghana provides regional updates to help citizens and businesses plan their activities.
The Government continues to implement a disciplined expenditure framework, reducing ECG spending from 9.3 billion to 1.8 billion through improved efficiency.
“Whilst in 2024 ECG spent about 9.3 billion, this year it is spending 1.8 billion through efficiency, with that amount being directed toward critical infrastructure, and everybody can attest to that.”Honourable John Abdulai Jinapor, MP for Yapei-Kusawgu, Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
This fiscal discipline has enabled increased investment in upgrading overloaded transformers and replacing obsolete equipment that previously caused system failures.
The Ministry of Energy remains determined to overcome the dual challenge of technical failures and the recent fire incident at the dam site. Political oversight has been intensified to ensure that the transition to a more reliable power supply remains on track for all households.
The Government’s focus remains on ensuring uninterrupted power supply across the country to support industrial growth and national development. The Minister commended the dedication of workers and affirmed that the sector’s resilience will protect the economy from further disruptions.
Future efforts will prioritize completing repairs at Akosombo and strengthening the transmission grid to prevent similar incidents.
