By Ashiadey Dotse
President John Dramani Mahama held an emergency meeting with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) on Monday, January 13, 2025, to discuss urgent solutions to Ghana’s growing power challenges.
The meeting came amid a financial dispute between the government and the IPPs, with the government owing the producers $1.2 billion as of October 2024. The unresolved debt has caused serious concerns about a possible energy crisis, especially after repeated warnings from the IPPs about stopping power production if payments are not made.
The IPPs are critical to Ghana’s electricity supply, but the mounting debt has put their operations at risk. Some companies have previously threatened to shut down their plants, highlighting the strain caused by delayed payments.
Adding to the pressure is the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), which supplies gas to Ghana’s power plants. WAPCo recently announced plans to shut down for maintenance, raising fears of power shortages. However, the maintenance has been postponed for two weeks, giving the government more time to address the crisis.
The meeting between President Mahama and the IPPs is seen as a crucial step toward resolving these financial and operational challenges to secure the country’s power supply.
