Former Volta River Authority (VRA) Chief Executive Officer, Ing. Kirk Koffi, has expressed strong confidence in Energy Minister John Jinapor’s capacity to address Ghana’s recurring power outages, commonly known as “dumsor.”
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Face to Face program on Tuesday, May 20, Ing. Koffi rejected claims that the current administration should be blamed for the ongoing power challenges.
“No, no, no—this government just came in. So if there is a fuel supply challenge, it takes time to even get your arrangement for fuel. I know they are doing well. They have just bought some crude oil, I heard it in the media,” he said.
Ing. Koffi explained that while the VRA no longer relies on crude oil for power generation, some Independent Power Producers (IPPs) still do, which creates cost and operational difficulties.
He noted that crude oil is significantly more expensive than gas, and sustaining its use can be problematic, especially if the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) struggles with timely payments.
Despite these challenges, Ing. Koffi expressed optimism about the direction the Energy Ministry is taking under Jinapor’s leadership. “I heard the minister; he is going to fix it, he is on the right track. Honourable Jinapor is on the right track to fix the problem. He is on the right track,” Ing. Koffi reiterated.
Reflecting on past power crises, Ing. Koffi reminded the public that the same team—under the previous John Mahama administration—played a key role in stabilizing the sector between 2014.