There are currently power disruptions in certain areas of Ghana, the Republic of Benin, and Togo as a result of a persistent disruption in the gas supply from Nigeria.The announcement of a decrease in gas amounts available for transportation was made by the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited in Accra, Ghana, lately. WAPCO said in a statement released on Wednesday that one of its Nigerian gas producers was performing minor maintenance. Consequently, the gas producer reportedly closed its doors for a three-week maintenance period.
Consequently, there is a decrease in gas available for WAPCO to transport to customers in Togo, Benin and Ghana.
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“The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited regrets to announce that it is experiencing a drop in gas volumes available for transportation due to ongoing maintenance works by one of its gas producers in Nigeria.
“One of the producers of the natural gas WAPCO which transports from Nigeria has shut down its facility for three-week maintenance, resulting in a decrease of gas available for WAPCO to transport to customers in Togo, Benin and Ghana. The current situation is entirely out of WAPCO’s control.
Consumers of electricity in the nation have been notified by the Ghana Grid Company Limited and the Electricity Company of Ghana that certain locations have already reached complete darkness. “Wishing to advise the public that due to a reduction in gas supplies from Nigeria since Wednesday 12th June 2024 several parts across the country have experienced disruption in power supply,” Ghana Grid Company Limited and the Electricity Company of Ghana stated in a statement they jointly signed. The company said that the outage was caused by a scarcity of gas because a Nigerian gas supplier was scheduled to perform maintenance work for three weeks.
“The West Africa Gas Pipeline Company, in a statement, has explained that the reduction in gas supply was due to maintenance works being undertaken by a gas supplier in Nigeria and is projected to last three weeks”, the statement added.
The recent blackout that affected Ghana, Benin, and Togo highlights how intertwined West African energy networks are and how vital it is to have resilience against disruptions in external supplies. The catastrophe serves as a stinging reminder of the importance to invest in sustainable energy infrastructure and regional collaboration, even as immediate efforts are directed upon restoring power supplies and limiting the impact on affected populations. West African nations can create a more secure and sustainable energy future by promoting a diverse energy mix, improving infrastructure resilience, and developing regulatory frameworks. To make sure that occurrences like the current disruption in the gas supply do not jeopardize the socioeconomic development and well-being of the region, the way forward calls for dedication, cooperation, and creative problem-solving.
