President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government plans to begin constructing a 1,200-megawatt electricity generation plant this year. This initiative aims to strengthen Ghana’s power supply and address the increasing demand for electricity. According to the President, the project is part of the government’s efforts to expand generation capacity and ensure a more stable and reliable electricity supply across the country.
Speaking at the Resetting Ghana Citizen Engagement event on Saturday, May 2, he highlighted that the rapid pace of economic growth and investment has led to a rise in electricity consumption, making the addition of new generation capacity essential.
He explained that Ghana’s peak electricity demand has increased from 3,500 megawatts to approximately 4,300 megawatts. He emphasised that this trend highlights the urgent need for expanded infrastructure to create redundancy within the national grid. “As the country continues to grow, so does its electricity consumption. We need to increase our generation capacity to ensure redundancy.
Additionally, by producing excess electricity, we can supply nearby countries like Burkina Faso, which require additional power, and in turn, bring foreign exchange into the country,” he said.
The President further disclosed that the Ministries of Energy and Finance have already developed a framework for the project and expressed optimism that construction will commence this year, describing the initiative as critical to Ghana’s long-term energy security and economic development.
Source: Patricia Boakye
