Why Parts Of Ghana Are Experiencing Power Outages
The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has attributed the recent power outages in parts of the country including the Ashanti region to the supply of gas from neighbouring Nigeria.
The recent development is raising concerns that “dumsor”- a term for erratic power supply Ghana experienced some years ago- is back but the Ministry of Energy contests.
Ghanaians are of the view that the country may be back to intermittent outages it confronted during the administration of former President Agyekum Kufuor and former President John Dramani Mahama.
“Dumsor is back,” one Twitter user said.
Dumsor is back pic.twitter.com/maynkjJ36P
— Eric Asare (@EricAsa22293870) May 11, 2023
“Fellow Ghanaians gave us free water and turned around to calculate give us, you think the dumsor he fixed wouldn’t come back again??,” another said.
Fellow Ghanaians gave us free water and turned around to calculate give us, you think the dumsor he fixed wouldn’t come back again??😂😂😂 https://t.co/UV0Faz3Tyt
— EfyaOwusuwaa (@efya_ansa) May 11, 2023
“Fellow Ghanaians, so are we still going to pretend that Dumsor is not back????”
Fellow Ghanaians, so are we still going to pretend that Dumsor is not back????
— 𝐉 𝐀 𝐘 𝐒 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 𝐋 𝐈 𝐍 𝐆 (@_Jay_Sterling_) May 11, 2023
In an interview, the Corporate Communications Manager of GRIDCo, Dzifa Bampoh, explained their generating plants which use gas cannot operate to their full capacity due to shortages of gas.
According to her, last night’s and Monday’s outages resulted from the shortage.
“We had a gas supply challenge from Nigeria. That has been the fundamental reason, and it has led to a multiplier effect, meaning our generating plants which use gas cannot operate fully,” she said according to Citinews.
She noted that efforts are underway to purchase more fuel oils to deal with the issue.
She added, “We apologise to Ghanaians for it, because ultimately if there’s going to be any shortage even if it’s for a day, we are obliged to inform Ghanaians.”
