This has exacerbated the country’s existing “dumsor” (a term meaning “on and off” in the Akan language) electricity shortages that have plagued the nation for years, BBC Africa reports.
Ghana’s state-owned electricity company has announced a three-week power outage due to reduced gas supply from Nigeria.
As Ghana’s urbanization and population have surged over the past 20 years, so has the demand for electricity.
However, this growing demand has been hindered by the current gas supply reduction from Nigeria, which commenced on Wednesday and is attributed to maintenance works being conducted by a supplier.
This has resulted in a decline in power generation across the country, compelling the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to initiate load shedding to effectively manage electricity distribution, as stated in a release on Thursday
“The reduction in gas supply is due to maintenance works being undertaken by a gas supplier in Nigeria and is projected to last three weeks,” it added.
On Wednesday, West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) revealed that it was experiencing a decline in the volume of gas available for transportation as a result of one of its producers in Nigeria shutting down its facility for maintenance.
This reduction in gas availability has had a knock-on effect on customers in Togo, Benin, and Ghana, who are experiencing decreased gas supplies transported by WAPCo.
“The current situation is entirely out of WAPCo’s control,” the regional power utility added.
“We expect normalcy to return after the maintenance activities.”
ECG has assured the public that it is working collaboratively with other key stakeholders in the power sector to make the most of available resources, thereby minimizing the impact on consumers during the gas shortage period.
It comes barely two months after President Nana Akufo-Addo curtailed the export of electricity to neighbouring Togo, Burkina Faso and Benin in response to local supply challenges.
In recent years, power shortages have worsened as the country grapples with its worst economic crisis in a decade.
Private electricity suppliers are owed $1.6bn (£1.3bn) by the state power company, according to Elikplim Kwabla Apetogbor, the head of the organisation representing them.
Ghana, a leading producer of gold and cocoa, has increasingly relied on gas for electricity generation in recent years.
Despite having hydro and thermal sources, which provide much of its electricity, the country’s infrastructure is often inadequately maintained.
Last July, threats were made by private electricity suppliers to halt operations due to unpaid arrears, highlighting the challenges facing Ghana’s energy sector.
