Ghana's Power Woes Persist Despite Government Assurances

Duncan Amoah, Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, has stated that Ghana continues to face significant power supply problems. This assessment contradicts recent government assurances regarding improvements in the nation's electricity provision. Mr. Amoah's comments follow recent widespread power outages across various parts of the country.

The government attributed these outages to transformer upgrade works and a fire at a Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) control room. The incident near the Akosombo Dam forced one of its generating machines to shut down temporarily. However, Mr. Amoah explained that the core issue goes beyond these immediate incidents, pointing to long-standing systemic problems.

This situation fits into a recurring pattern of power instability known locally as 'dumsor'. Ghana has historically struggled with reliable electricity supply, impacting businesses and households nationwide. Data from the Integrated Business Establishment Survey shows that power outages significantly increase operational costs for Ghanaian businesses.

During an interview on May 2, 2026, Mr. Amoah clarified that Ghana's power challenges are multifaceted. He stressed that generating enough electricity is only one part of the solution. The other, more critical, part involves the overall health of the country's electricity system.

Mr. Amoah emphasized that much of Ghana's electrical infrastructure is old and has not received proper maintenance or upgrades. This neglect makes the system highly vulnerable to external factors. Events like heavy rain or strong winds can easily damage transmission poles or cause lines to touch, leading to widespread power cuts.

These infrastructure deficiencies mean that even with sufficient generation capacity, electricity cannot reliably reach consumers. The continuous need for repairs and upgrades represents a significant financial burden on the state-owned power companies. This includes the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and GRIDCo.

Until this aging infrastructure is comprehensively addressed, power outages will likely continue to plague Ghana. Decision-makers must focus on long-term investment in modernizing the grid. This will stabilize the power supply and support economic growth across all sectors. The market and public will closely watch how the government responds to this persistent challenge.