Legal Practitioner and policy analyst David Ofosu-Dorte says he does not see the future of Ghana’s much-touted industrialization agenda and the new wave of the 24-Hour Economy considering the current energy capacity of the state.
Ghana’s current installed capacity, David Ofosu-Dorte says, cannot power any meaningful industrialization and hence calls for a rethink of the energy sector.
The legal practitioner and Senior Partner at AB & David Africa made this declaration at the JoyNews & Amalgam of Professional Bodies Speaker Series.
Speaking at the event, the Senior Partner minced no words as he analyzed the government’s key development themes, which are the Reset Agenda, the 24-Hour Economy, and the Big Push, in the context of the current energy situation of the country.
Citing existing research, Ofosu-Dorte argued that for Ghana to industrialize effectively, it needs a base load of 20,000 megawatts. This, he says, is nowhere close to the about 6,000 megawatt installed capacity of the country.
“One of the statements that incensed me a lot… was the claim by some politicians that we have excess power. 6,000 megawatts of installed capacity cannot be excess power,” he asserted, adding that “Your inability to distribute the power does not make it excess power.
“A country cannot industrialise with 6,000 megawatts of power, period,” he noted.
To turn the tide and make the industrialization agenda and the 24-Hour Economy initiative a reality, David Ofosu-Dorte is calling for a total transformation of the Akosombo Dam under the Big Push Agenda.
He believes there is a need for the Dam and the Volta River Authority (VRA) to be repositioned to provide more power and not just as a hydroelectric facility, but as a multi-sectoral economic growth corridor.
“My recommendation to them is that I will expect, under the big push, that an organisation like VRA should be looking at 20,000 megawatts of power… You cannot deliver a 24-hour economy without power,” he indicated.
He added, “What is the next big agenda on the Akosombo Dam? And what is the next big agenda for VRA? And what is the next big agenda of the whole of the Akosombo itself, which has got several angles that can be used from transportation to a growth corridor, to fluvial advantage, to hauling of mines, including iron ore, to jetties, to a number of things, including even shipyards on the lake.”
Ofosu-Dorte’s thought-provoking remarks come at a time when the government is pushing a bold narrative around a 24-hour economic activity, promising jobs, enhanced productivity, and a modernised industrial sector.
However, he is convinced that with a power system that still struggles with generation, distribution, and frequent downtimes, the 24-hour economy and the industrialization drive are at risk.
He is calling on policymakers, regulators, and citizens to reimagine Ghana’s energy needs in a way and manner that can support the development that the country envisages. But until then, it will take a miracle to see any significant industrial transformation.
