Energy Minister John Jinapor has issued a stark warning about an impending nationwide power crisis, revealing that Ghana has less than three days’ worth of liquid fuel left to run its thermal power plants.
Speaking before Parliament’s Energy Committee on Thursday, May 15, Mr. Jinapor said the country is in a race against time to secure the billions of cedis required to pay for already-ordered fuel supplies.
“My headache is how to get the next parcel of liquid fuel. The fuel we have will take us 2.6 days,” he said.
The Minister disclosed that although some fuel has been acquired on credit, the lack of immediate funding poses a serious threat to sustained power generation.
He noted ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Finance but admitted that its current fiscal limitations hamper swift intervention.
“We’ve placed an order for fuel, but it has to be paid for. The Ministry of Finance is trying, but they also face budgetary constraints. We will be heading to Cabinet to explore broader solutions for the energy sector,” he said.
As part of long-term reforms, Mr. Jinapor suggested a renewed push to involve the private sector in managing aspects of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), citing the need for improved revenue collection.
“This won’t solve all our problems, but reducing revenue losses from 40% to 5% would significantly boost collections,” he added.
The Minister also called on Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to budget for and pay their electricity bills promptly.
He emphasised that even critical public institutions, including those in health, education, security, and the presidency, must ensure proper budgeting for energy consumption to avoid further strain on the system.