Ben Boakye, the Executive Director of the Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), has criticized the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) for what he perceives as a strategic attempt to deflect blame in the ongoing power crisis. GRIDCo recently raised concerns to the Minister of Energy regarding the Electricity Company of Ghana's (ECG) failure to provide a load-shedding timetable for customers, citing non-compliance with load-shedding management instructions issued by the National System Control Center (NSCC).
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Boakye suggested that GRIDCo's letter to the Energy Minister was aimed at absolving itself of responsibility amidst the power challenges. He emphasized the broader issues within the power sector, including inadequate gas supply for power generation, and suggested that GRIDCo's move was a strategic manoeuvre to distance itself from the ongoing crisis.
GRIDCo's letter highlighted instances where ECG's failure to comply with directives from the NSCC had led to a drop in system frequency, posing risks to the stability of the power grid. However, Boakye questioned the sincerity of GRIDCo's concerns, suggesting that it was part of a larger strategy to shift blame.
Furthermore, Boakye expressed concerns about the potential impact of the power challenges on revenue generation for ECG, citing examples from neighbouring countries like Burkina Faso, which have communicated similar issues to their citizens and are considering alternative power solutions.