Ghana could run out of fuel to power its electricity plants within 48 hours, the Energy Minister has warned, as Karpower, one of the country’s key suppliers, threatens to halt operations over unpaid debts.
Energy Minister John Jinapor told Parliament that Karpower has issued a notice to shut down by 18 May if the government fails to settle over $400 million owed to the company.
“We need $1.1 billion just to procure liquid fuel alone,” Mr Jinapor said, adding that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is running a monthly shortfall of nearly GHS 2 billion.
The Minister further revealed that government arrears to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) now stand at more than $1.7 billion. He warned that the situation could lead to nationwide power outages if not addressed urgently.
Talks are underway with the Finance Ministry to secure emergency funding, and the government is also considering private sector involvement in ECG to improve revenue collection.
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