Kofi Bentil Calls Out 'Insincere' Power Outage Communication

Kofi Bentil, a lawyer and Senior Vice-President of IMANI Africa, has stated that communication about Ghana's power outages has been insincere. He made these remarks on Newsfile on Saturday, May 2. Mr. Bentil believes the country’s energy problems are a result of poor public messaging. These issues are made worse by unreliable information. The energy sector is sensitive and influences politics. It requires careful management of both policy and how information is shared. Everything significant becomes political. Energy is certainly significant.

Mr. Bentil observed a pattern in Ghana’s power difficulties over many years. This suggests that fundamental problems remain unsolved. He expressed confidence in the technical skills of engineers at the Volta River Authority (VRA). He noted that these engineers succeed when they have independence and good leadership. "The engineers at VRA have proven that if you leave them alone and provide the right leadership, there is almost nothing they cannot do," Mr. Bentil stated. He believes political interference, not a lack of expertise, is the main cause of the country’s persistent power challenges. Decision-making in the energy sector is often swayed by competing interests and financial gains. "The biggest problem with our energy sector is that it has suffered political interference, not leadership," he said.

Mr. Bentil maintains that Ghana's size does not make its energy demands unmanageable. He suggests that entrenched interests within the sector continuously block progress. "There’s been too much political interference, and there’s too much money in that sector; it is messing with us," he added. He called for a "rational consensus" on important national issues like energy. A unified and less political approach would help put long-term national interests ahead of immediate gains. Mr. Bentil also pointed to recent positive developments at the VRA. He sees these as a basis for wider reforms in the energy sector. He insisted that with the right systems and leadership, Ghana can greatly reduce long power disruptions. He believes power outages need not last longer than 48 hours. The energy sector is a significant part of Ghana's economy. Its stability impacts businesses and households. The current situation highlights the need for transparency and effective governance in managing national resources.