Ghana’s Energy Minister, John Jinapor, has warned that the country’s fuel supply for power generation is dangerously low, with only 2.6 days of reserves remaining.
Speaking to the Parliamentary Energy Committee on Thursday, Mr Jinapor said the Energy Ministry urgently needs GH₵1.1 billion to purchase liquid fuel to keep power plants running. He described the situation as critical and stressed that the government must act quickly.
“We only have fuel to last 2.6 days,” the minister stated, adding that while more fuel has been ordered, payment remains a major challenge.
“Some of the fuel has already been bought on credit, and the Ministry is working with the Finance Ministry to settle outstanding bills. However, the Finance Ministry is also facing financial constraints.”
Mr Jinapor said the government is planning high-level discussions to find long-term solutions. One proposal is to involve the private sector in managing the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to improve efficiency and generate more revenue.
Another major concern is that many public institutions are not paying their electricity bills. For example, Ghana Water Limited has reportedly not paid for power usage over the last seven months—further straining the energy sector’s finances.
To address this, the government will require all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to include electricity payments in their budgets. Mr Jinapor said only essential services in areas such as health and education will receive exemptions. For instance, hospital wards, laboratories, and theatres will be exempted, while school dormitories and dining halls will not.
The Minister stressed that all government institutions must begin taking responsibility for their electricity consumption to help resolve the current crisis and avoid future shortfalls.
Source: gbcghnanaonline
