Energy crises
in the near future were anticipated by smart Ghanaians even as early as 2020.
Many private and public businesses provided alternatives to Ghana's dominant
electricity company (ECG). What about the poor masses? Many people
expect the new administration to find a miraculous way to escape frequent power
outages, popularly called dumsor in Ghana. For those who look at the Mahama
administration as the power outage saviour, how far?
The slang for the frequent
light-off has moved from Dumsor to Super Dumsor in the southern part of Ghana, where
the government agencies rule. To the Ghanaian elites who rely on Lister's
heavy-duty generators! Are fuel prices more affordable now?
The introduction of
friendly ECG home meters! So very convenient, easy recharging with fewer
hassles, but with much financial drain to most households. Isn't it about time
to rethink our sources of power?
On 25th of May
2024, the Badwam newspaper review reported a police injunction against a
planned mass protest in Ghana. The protest was tagged “DumsorMuststop”. That's
how bad it got!
Was this event after or before
President Akufo-Addo confidently declared Dumsor problem (power outages) as
resolved while setting up a 515-megawatt power plant under the $1.2 billion
Ghana Bridge Power Project?
The truth of the increasing
irregular light outages was adamantly denied by many influential people.
Benjamin
Obeng Antwi (ECG] for example, in response to the question of a return of
Dumsor, last year was quick to reassure the Ashanti people that Dumsor isn’t
back.
Amidst
these assurances, the Dumsor continued!
Author
Naaborle Sackeyfio, in her book titled “Energy Politics & Rural Development
in Sub-Saharan Africa” bemoaned the fate of hydro-rich nations in our part of
the world. The book makes bare the possible reasons why rural electricity has
continued in its irregularity, after many deliberations. The book, while using
Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa as case studies, points out that power sector
reforms may have to work with much political change. The interlinking of power
supply management with the political landscape of various nations may be behind
the stagnation.
The immense hardship caused by rampant
power outages in Ghana continues to impact all sectors of the economy. Not only
are the poor masses whose petty businesses depend on power from the ECG grids
suffering the impacts, but babies in the incubator as well. In Tema, the
sufferings of babies in incubator were well publicized. It seems that the past
few years have proven Abena Osei Asare's words true: "energy sector issues
in Ghana may have to do with efficiency”.
“Can
each Ghanaian home become a master of their own power source? Surely, yes!If not nationwide, then in individual homes!
Authors, Nana
Asare and Obeng Darko, were the pioneers to fully reveal the hidden regulatory
issues that impede the full development of renewable energy in Ghana, the
Gambia and Nigeria. Renewable energy integration targets in Ghana are being
hampered by these regulatory measures.
In
his scholarly work, author Nathanael Ojong discusses off-grid solar
electrification in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Malawi, Tanzania, and
Nigeria. Amidst socioeconomic and political opposition identified, he suggested
that it might be the only way to bring basic energy to millions of poor
Africans.
To spice up the
mix, author Nancy Dickmann in her book “Using Renewable Energy” displays case
study examples where renewable energy is fully resolving energy problems in
Ghanaian medical clinics! It's a super exciting, unboring book on renewable
energy.
In one of his
speeches on ‘Dumsor’, Prince David Osei said: “Once you're dealing with
machines, things can fail!” How comforting!
This is not the time for any
Ghanaian home whose daily bread depends on power equipment and automobiles to
comfort themselves with the fallible words of any administration. Everyone
should quickly invest in Solar Renewable Energy, which will make them
independent of ECG management weaknesses and government energy politics.
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Authors, Nana
Asare and Obeng Darko, were the pioneers to fully reveal the hidden regulatory
issues that impede the full development of renewable energy in Ghana, the
Gambia and Nigeria. Renewable energy integration targets in Ghana are being
hampered by these regulatory measures.
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