Lawyer and Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has called for a rethink of government's spending priorities amid recurring nationwide power outages. Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, August 22, Mr Bentil expressed concern over the government's priorities.
Prioritizing Expenditure in the Face of Power Outages
Kofi Bentil questioned the rationale behind spending heavily to demolish existing markets and construct new ones while other critical infrastructure needs remain unresolved. "I worry about how we are prioritizing expenditure in this economy right now," he said.
Ghana has the technical expertise and resources needed to address the challenges within the electricity system, but Mr Bentil wondered why the necessary interventions have not been prioritized. He emphasized that the problems affecting the power sector are known, as are the solutions, equipment, and associated costs required to resolve them.
The Consequences of Prolonged Outages
Mr Bentil cited the recent outage around the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as particularly concerning. "When the lights went off around Korle Bu, immediately I was like, 'Oh my God, somebody may die.' And that one, you can't get him back," he said. He warned that power disruptions at critical health facilities could put lives at risk.
Mr Bentil acknowledged that accidents such as equipment failures can occur but questioned why repairs and preventive measures are not being sustained after such incidents. He urged the government to commit the necessary resources to close the gaps within the power system.
A Call to Action
Mr Bentil challenged the government to treat resolving the power sector's technical challenges as a priority. He emphasized that reliable electricity is essential to protecting lives, supporting businesses, and making the country's economic ambitions achievable. "We are capable. Our leadership should put together what is necessary, and let's fix these problems because they are fixable," he stated.
Ghanaian engineers have the capacity to resolve the challenges if leadership provides the necessary support and resources. Mr Bentil's call to action raises questions about the government's priorities and whether they will heed his warnings about the consequences of prolonged power outages.
Source: Joy Online
