Energy Crisis in Ghana Is Financial, Not Technical — Michael Kwasi Aidoo

A member of Parliament’s energy committee, Michael Kwasi Aidoo, has attributed Ghana’s ongoing power outages to financial difficulties and poor planning rather than technical failures, urging a comprehensive review of the country’s energy infrastructure.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday, April 28, the Oforikrom MP said the recent disruption linked to the Akosombo Dam came without prior warning, highlighting gaps in monitoring and preparedness. He called on government to commission an independent, nationwide audit of key installations to identify risks and strengthen system reliability.

According to Aidoo, allegations that engineers are deliberately sabotaging the power system are unfounded and potentially harmful. He cautioned that such claims could demoralize essential technical personnel who are critical to maintaining operations.

He emphasized that Ghana’s installed generation capacity exceeds 5,200 megawatts, suggesting that supply is not the core issue. Instead, he pointed to weak planning, inconsistent maintenance schedules, and persistent financial constraints within the sector.

Aidoo also raised concerns about the management of funds generated from energy sector levies. He noted that significant monthly revenues could be better utilized to settle debts owed to independent power producers and to upgrade infrastructure.

The lawmaker called for increased transparency and accountability, including a parliamentary probe into the recent outages to uncover their root causes and prevent recurrence. He further warned that politicizing the energy sector risks eroding investor confidence and undermining operational efficiency.

“We are managing the system, not building resilience,” he stated.