Former President John Mahama has pleaded with Independent Power Producers, (IPPs) to back down on threat to shut down their power plants over $1.9 billion debt.
The IPPs have given government up to Saturday, 1st July 2023 to pay at least 30% of the debt or they withdraw their services.
Speaking to the media in parliament Minority Spokesperson on Energy, John Jinapor revealed the former President has asked him to beg the IPPs not to shut down their plants given the implications.
The former deputy Power Minister further asked government to act swiftly to meet the power producers halfway..
“The IPP are demanding a minimum payment of 30% of this outstanding bill, even if government cannot pay all at least government should meet them halfway while we find solution to these challenges. So, once again, on behalf of his excellency former President Mahama, I will like to make a passionate call and a humble appeal to the IPPs not shut their plants on the 1st of July. A shut down will mean that this country will move back to crisis and no longer function as a country. IPPs alone constitute about half of the total power produced in Ghana. So a shutdown of their plants means that this country will experience massive loas shedding, massive dumsor that has not been experienced before. When fifty percent of the total power produced is take out, your guess is as good as mine.”
He added: “I have spoken to his excellency John Mahama and he’s indicated that on his behalf, I should make a passionate and humble appeal to these IPPs to reconsider their decision towards shutting down their plants on 1st July. That is the deadline they have given to government. We want to appeal and plead with the IPPs to give government and the nation some more time, but even as we are pleading with them, we wish to call on government that the IPPs are threatening to shut down their plants following the inability of the off taker which is the ECG to settle its debt obligation for power that has been produced.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh