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Politicisation of power outages slowing industrialisation – AGI

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has decried the politicisation of power outages in the country and called for swift national consensus to solve the challenges inherent in the energy sector.

The Association said the politicisation of power cut to industry and households was a setback to Ghana’s quest to industrialise, describing electricity as the engine that fueled industrial growth that ought not to be politicised.

“So far as the lights are going off intermittently, once a day or twice a day, it’s ‘dumsor,’” Mr Kwame Jantuah, Chairman, Oil and Gas sector, said in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency.

This was on the sidelines of a policy dialogue to mark World Sustainable Energy Day in Accra, organised by the Centre of Excellence in Public Utility Regulation (CEPUR).

CEPUR, a citadel of training for utility regulations, is a brainchild of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PUCR) and the Ghana Institute for Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

“Energy is like air, and so important for houses and industry, and we cannot mess with it. Where power is concerned, it shouldn’t be a political situation, but a national discussion where political leaders sit and come to an agreement,” Mr Jantuah said.

This comes on the back of recent outages across the country, and a call for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to release a timetable for effective planning by consumers.

The Chairman of AGI’s Oil and Gas sector noted that the country had reached the point where “we have to stop the politics and govern well.”

“… With elections, parties change, but when we all decide that this is the way that we’re going, then any party that comes continues with the decision that’s been made,” he said.

He called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to lead to move to have a national consensus to address the various bottlenecks in Ghana’s energy sector to support industrialisation, economic growth and sustainability.

“Both parties should sit and talk about how best to move the country forward, and not say this party had light out for five years ago for four years, and the other, for two days, because we need to industrialise,” he said.

In an earlier interview with GNA, Mr Sam Dubik Mahama, Managing Director, ECG, stated that there was no supply issue of electricity and that outages were due to local faults, which when reported would be tackled.

He also explained that the valve of the country’s gas plant, worth some US$200 million had to be replaced urgently because it led to power outages last week.

On this, Mr Jantuah said it was important for ECG to take drastic measures to “block wastages in the system, and collect the cash waterfall and spread it among the lot.”

In November 2023, total electricity consumption reached 21,440 GWh, with the Energy Commission projecting a year-end figure of 23,617 GWh, and a projected consumption of 24,997 GWh, representing a 5.8 per cent increase for 2024.

Source: GNA

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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