Ijeoma Agudosi/Yemisi Izuora/Agency Report
The Ghanaian government has denied claims that it is owing $100 million to the Nigerian Gas Company, which had led to a cut-off in the supply of gas for its power plants.
A communications consultant to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Edward Bawa, denied the reports that Nigeria has cut gas supply to Ghana in an interview with a local news site.
Mr. Bawa, who acknowledged that Ghana’s power plants were running on gas supplied from Nigeria, said there was supply yesterday and early this morning.
He however added that a plant at the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WapCo) had developed a fault but has since been repaired.
He was emphatic however, that Nigeria has not cut gas supply to Ghana.
Mr Bawa’s response follows reports that Nigeria has cut gas supply to Ghana.
Ghana is said to be indebted to Nigeria Gas of some $100 million.
The New Patriotic Party’s running mate for the 2016 elections Dr Mahamudu Bawumia disclosed during Central University College’s distinguished speaker series a fortnight ago that the current power crisis the country is plagued with is partly due to government’s failure to settle a $100 million debt it owes Nigeria Gas.
“Nigeria Gas Company is, therefore, dragging its feet with regards to the supply of gas while this amount is unpaid,” Dr Bawumia stated.
“Ultimately, the dumsor problem is more of a financial problem than a technical one,” he suggested.
According to reports in the country, Nigeria has apparently cut gas supply to Ghana over indebtedness.
The latest development if true, means Ghana will lose about 600 megawatts of power from the country’s national electricity grid as most of the thermal plants in the country run on gas.