Ghana: 24-Hour Economy Policy Needs Reliable Power To Thrive-Eunice Biritwum

The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission (EC), Mrs. Eunice Biritwum, has urged heads of the power and petroleum sectors to work towards resolving issues in their sector, asserting that Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy Policy cannot thrive on the shoulders of irregular power and unstable fuel delivery.

She said this in her remarks as the chairperson of the 5th Anniversary Public Lecture and Forum organized by Energy News Africa Ltd. on the theme: “24-Hour Economy: Can Ghana’s current energy situation support this policy?” in Accra on Monday, April  7, 2025.

According to her, the policy can only succeed if it is powered by a strong grid and efficient power supply .

“To power the sector, leaders here today – your mandate is clear. You are the enablers of this economic shift. Likewise, to our petroleum sector leaders -Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC),  Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation (BEST) Company Limited, National Petroleum Authority (NPA), and Tema Oil Refinery(TOR) – you are the lifeline of a productive and competitive economy,” she charged these critical stakeholders.

Mrs. Biritwum also took the opportunity to task stakeholders at the program to find innovative ways to finance Ghana’s grid expansion, reduce power distribution losses in the sector, ensure fuel security, and solve its affordability challenges, and also adopt an efficient tariff structure to encourage increased energy consumption in the country.

“How can we leverage investments already made in our generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure to utilize existing idle capacity?” the Energy Commission Boss asked.

She recommended urgent, concrete, and actionable strategies that shape policy and attract sustainable investment to make the 24-Hour Economy Policy successful.

Turning to the media, she asked reporters in the energy sector to focus on more than just power outages and fuel shortages for news headlines but also to explain their causes, investigate to uncover inefficiencies, and spotlight silent innovations that deserve recognition in the power sector.

“Let us envision a Ghana where hospitals no longer fear power cuts during sensitive procedures, where night-shift workers thrive in well-lit environments, and where factories operate at full throttle through the night, enhancing efficient production. A Ghana where policy is informed by evidence and communication is grounded in truth. This is the vision before us. This is the work we must do,” she tasked the media.

The Energy Commission Executive Secretary further tasked the media to leverage the rich knowledge shared at the forum to write accurate, innovative, and corroborated stories, explaining that the energy future Ghana builds must be credible, inclusive, and resilient in its perspective.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com