Accra: The Government, through the scheduled maintenance of the West African Gas Pipeline, has successfully averted a looming threat of intermittent power outages, ensuring a reliable electricity supply.
According to Ghana News Agency, the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) played a crucial role in this initiative, aimed at enhancing the smooth running of the energy sector. President John Dramani Mahama announced, “Through determined efforts, I can report that we have now averted the looming threat of power outages and began delivering fuel to the thermal plants in the east in advance of the shutdown of the West African gas pipeline.” This move was essential for undertaking scheduled maintenance on the pipeline, which is integral to supplying significant gas to Ghana’s thermal plants in the eastern region.
President Mahama made this announcement during the swearing-in ceremony of his first batch of six ministers at the Flagstaff House in Accra. The ministers included Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson as Finance Minister, Mr. John Abu Jinapor as Minister of Energy and Green Transition, and Dr. Dominic Akurutinga Ayine as Attorney General and Minister of Justice. Also sworn in were Mr. Haruna Iddrisu as Minister of Education, Mr. Eric Opoku as Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Mr. Kwame Agbodza as Minister of Roads and Highways.
The President highlighted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was aware of the economy’s challenges long before the elections and had pledged to address them. The energy sector faced multiple complex issues threatening its stability. “Already, we’ve been at work since my first day in office to tackle these problems,” Mahama stated. He emphasized that the previous government failed to ensure the smooth operation of the energy sector by not arranging sufficient fuel for thermal plants.
President Mahama commended Mr. John Abu Jinapor for his efforts in resolving the energy crisis and reminded him of the expectations for a stable and efficient power supply. He urged Mr. Jinapor to accelerate the development of the upstream and downstream petroleum sectors, enabling Ghanaians to benefit from the country’s natural resources. Additionally, the President stressed the importance of managing energy sector debt to alleviate its burden on the economy.