President John Dramani Mahama has called for a meeting with officials to address the nation’s growing energy sector debt amid fears of a return to power outages known as “dumsor”.
During the swearing-in ceremony for President Mahama, Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Abdulai Jinapor, raised grave concerns about Ghana’s fuel reserves.
He revealed that the country currently has only five hours’ worth of fuel stock available, which is insufficient for power generation.
Mr. Jinapor criticized the outgoing administration for neglecting to secure adequate fuel supplies, despite repeated warnings.
He emphasized that the current reserves can only sustain power generation for two days, raising the possibility of severe energy shortages.
As discussions on reshaping the energy sector take center stage, there is speculation that John Jinapor, a seasoned energy expert, may be appointed as the Minister of Energy in President Mahama’s administration.
His tenure as Deputy Minister of Energy has positioned him as a strong candidate to tackle Ghana’s energy challenges.
In his remarks, Mr. Jinapor underscored the urgency of stabilizing the nation’s power supply.
He noted that several parts of the country are already experiencing load shedding and urged the incoming government to make resolving the energy crisis a top priority.
Adding to the concerns, some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have started marginally increasing fuel prices, compounding the energy crisis.
Shell, for instance, has adjusted its prices, with petrol now retailing at GH₵14.99 per litre, up from GH₵14.82 in November, and diesel priced at GH₵15.72 per litre, up from GH₵15.66.
This increment follows a mixed performance during the second pricing window in November, where only petrol prices declined while diesel prices remained unchanged.
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) had previously projected a reduction in fuel prices based on international market trends and the stable performance of the cedi, but this expectation has not been fully realized.
BREAKING NEWS:
President John Mahama meets officials over energy sector DEBT 💸 as dumsor looms.
Captain Smart @CaptainSmart_tv fires 🔥 the NPP administration for leaving only five hours’ worth of fuel for the NDC government.#JmWillSucceed#JmMustBeProtected pic.twitter.com/hqcaTCkppG— Aristotlektv (@aristotledada) January 8, 2025
