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The Power Ministry says consumers will be responsible for paying for power from Karpower barge. Government is only a facilitator.

Deputy Power Minister John Jinapor confirmed to Joy News government will not play any role in paying for the services of the power barge from Turkey. “The payment will be done by the end-user. It will not be done by the government” he was emphatic.

The Karpower barge was reported to have set off on November 7 from Turkey and its progress on high seas has been keenly monitored by Ghanaian media. Billed as an important saviour from an increasingly irritating power rationing regime, the barge will inject about 225 megawatts.

Government has been conscientizing consumers to expect to pay more for power.

 “Government is only a facilitator....but at the end of the day whatever power that will be generated ought to be paid by the end-user” Jinapor said. He said government will only “assist the process to ensure that they [Karpower] have heavy fuel oil” to generate power

He said government was also working with "numerous" Independent Power Producers to augment Ghana’s weak generation capacity.

Despite the arrival of Karpower power barge in Ghana’s waters, the Power Ministry says he cannot tell when the barge will be ready to supply power to ease the current crisis.

The Deputy Power Minister said it could take weeks before homes and businesses can enjoy the 225megawatt addition.

The barge is vesseled by the Black Marlin.

The Ministry says it will dock at Tema in a few days where the Eastern Naval Command will take charge of it.

The Deputy Minister explained experts will have to do the inter-connection, after which test-runs will be conducted for weeks before being connected the national grid. “If everything proves successful then we will be thinking of connecting it to the national grid and so, it is a process and not an event” Jinapor pointed out.

The Deputy Power Minister, keen to avoid providing deadlines said the ministry expects the barge to be operational in some weeks. He said the ministry will be meeting with operators of the barge Friday afternoon where it expects to get official details.