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In spite of several attempts by some Ghanaians particularly, members of the opposition New Patriotic Party to portray the ruling government’s handling of the ongoing power crisis as clueless and weird, a renowned energy expert, Alhaji Mustapha Iddrisu is rather full of praises for President John Dramani Mahama, describing his interventions in the energy sector as unparalleled and historic.

According to the Takoradi-based energy expert, no government in recent history has embarked on some of the bold and ambitious projects to salvage the nation’s ailing energy sector like President Mahama.

In a well-researched article copied to The aL-hAJJ, Alhaji Mustapha Iddrisu noted that, the various ongoing projects and agreements the Mahama-led government has entered into with some multinational and local companies, when completed will see the country’s present installed capacity of 2845MW jump to the targeted 5,000MW, a development he says is “unprecedented and historic.”

“It is envisaged that when these projects mature, the government's avowed generation target of 5,000MW will be achieved as stipulated. These are the realities on the ground that will bear fruits sooner than later…

“As far as I am concerned as an energy analyst, no government in the recent history of Ghana had the benefit of these landmark interventions. The lasting solution to this perennial electricity crisis is nigh. It is my candid opinion that President Mahama's interventions in the energy sector within this short period of time are unprecedented and historic,” he stated.

While advising, the nationwide load shedding exercise needed to be addressed with strategic interventions, Alhaji Iddrisu stated that the Mahama-led government has left no stone unturned in order to nib the debilitating problem in the bud.

Explaining measures being taken by government to address the challenges, the energy expert said, as an interim measure, the government led by the minister of Energy, now Power is deploying emergency power barges.

These power ship systems, he noted, are expected to commence commercial operations in the 1st and 2nd Quarters of 2015 and aims at generating a total of 450MW altogether.

He added “Also, the ongoing 110MW expansion work on the TICO plant, the Kpone Thermal Power Plant's unit 1& 2 (220MW) and 25MW from Trojan Power are all expected to be complete this year. All these will bring to fruition the target of 3550 MW to our installed generation capacity by the end of 2015. This will definitely reduce drastically the intensity of the load shedding as currently experienced in the country.”

As part of the Mahama administration’s long term measures at eradicating the energy crisis completely, Alhaji Iddrisu revealed that government has considered diversifying the country's generation mix further to include coal fired power plants.
“To this end, the enabling environment has been created for GENSA-Chirano Mines to establish a small 30MW coal power plant with a maximum generation capacity of up to 90MW which is due to be commissioned soon,” he explained

According to him the most far-reaching decision taken by the government is the partnership deal struck between Volta River Authority (VRA) and Shenzhen Energy Group, the parent company of Sunon Asogli, to develop a total of 1200MW of coal fired power plant which is expected to be completed in 2018.

Giving further details on President John Mahama’s intervention on the energy sector, Alhaji Mustapha Iddrisu stated:

“Approvals of the legislature and cabinet for the constructions of 350MW and 360MW by Cenpower and Jacobsen Electro respectively have also been given. The Vice President, Kwesi Amissah Arthur, has already cut the sod on 29th January, 2015 for the commencement of its construction at Kpone in the Grater-Accra Region. The ceremony has paved way for CEN Power to invest a whooping sum of 900 million dollar towards the realization of the 350MW power plant. These important interventions are expected to commence soon and due for commercial operations in 2017.