Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward

Aaron Yaw Ahali

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12

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Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward

Aaron Yaw Ahali

Published in International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering (Volume 5, Issue 2-1)

Received: 7 October 2015 Accepted: 2 November 2015 Published: 17 December 2015

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Abstract

Growth in demographic requirements, increased urbanization and rural electrification coupled with an ever-increasing technological demand, and the aspiration to transform into a middle-income country have led to a fast growth in energy demand in the past two decades in Ghana. Yet there is a huge deficit in supply and this has become a major limitation to growth and quality of life. As Ghana has devoted itself to universal access to electricity by 2020, the real challenge is in reaching the capacity to meet this goal; and most importantly, ensuring that supply is adequate and reliable. With access to electricity in Ghana been low for some time now with no improvement in sight, there is the need for a study such as this. The paper sought to examine the challenges preventing the progress of accessible electricity in Ghana. The paper adopted a systematic review approach and used publications that focused on or related to the subject understudy. Key findings identified in the paper include; poor pricing, increasing demand and supply shortfalls coupled with irregularities, institutional restrictions, lack of credible off-taker and lack of policy and project continuity. To address these challenges, suggested recommendations include; exploring all means of getting power source, including LNG, Solar, landfill gas and nuclear power, establishing a vibrant and robust power ministry that can help reform and also help in revenue collection.

Published in	International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering (Volume 5, Issue 2-1) This article belongs to the Special Issue Electricity Market
DOI	10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12
Page(s)	9-17
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ghana, Electricity Access, Efficiency and Performance, Electricity Demand, Electricity Supply

References

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[2]	Oseni., M. (2012) Households’s access to electricity and energy consumption pattern in Nigeria. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16 (1).
[3]	Oyedepo, S., O. (2013) Energy in Perspective of Sustainable Development in Nigeria. Sustainable Energy (2) 14-25.
[4]	Energy Commission (2014) Energy (Supply and Demand) Outlook for Ghana, April 2014. Foster, Vivien and Nataliya Pushak, Ghana’s Infrastructure: Continental Perspective, Washington, DC: World Bank Policy Research Paper No. 5600, 2011.
[5]	World Bank, (2011) Energizing Economic Growth in Ghana: Making the Power and Petroleum Sectors Rise to the Challenge, Energy Group Africa Region.
[6]	Boateng, E. A. (1966) a Geography of Ghana 2nd Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
[7]	Government of Ghana (GOG) (2010) Budget statement for the year 2008 Ghana Official Portal [Online] accessed at http://Ghana.gov.gh/Ghana/budget_statements.jsp on 13th March 2015.
[8]	Duku M, H. and Hagan E, B. (2011) A comprehensive review of biomass resources and bio fuels potential in Ghana. Renewable Sustainable Energy Review (15) 404–15.
[9]	Ghana Energy Commission (2011) Energy supply and demand outlook for Ghana: Ghana Energy Commission.
[10]	USAID (1999) an energy roadmap of Ghana: from crisis to the fuel for economic freedom. A report by the US Government Interagency Team.
[11]	Brew-Hammond A, Kemausour F (2007) Energy crisis in Ghana: drought, technology or policy. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana.
[12]	Victor, L., (2008) Systematic reviewing. Social Science Update, 58: 1-4.
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[14]	Victor, L., (2008) Systematic reviewing. Social Science Update, 58: 1-4.
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[16]	World Economic Forum (2014) The Global Energy Architecture Performance Index Report.
[17]	USG-GoG Technical Team, August (2011) World Bank, Energizing Economic Growth in Ghana: Making the Power and Petroleum Sectors Rise to the Challenge, Energy Group Africa Region.

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Aaron Yaw Ahali. (2015). Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward. International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, 5(2-1), 9-17. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12

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ACS Style

Aaron Yaw Ahali. Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward. Int. J. Energy Power Eng. 2015, 5(2-1), 9-17. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12

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AMA Style

Aaron Yaw Ahali. Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward. Int J Energy Power Eng. 2015;5(2-1):9-17. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12,
  author = {Aaron Yaw Ahali},
  title = {Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward},
  journal = {International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering},
  volume = {5},
  number = {2-1},
  pages = {9-17},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12},
  abstract = {Growth in demographic requirements, increased urbanization and rural electrification coupled with an ever-increasing technological demand, and the aspiration to transform into a middle-income country have led to a fast growth in energy demand in the past two decades in Ghana. Yet there is a huge deficit in supply and this has become a major limitation to growth and quality of life. As Ghana has devoted itself to universal access to electricity by 2020, the real challenge is in reaching the capacity to meet this goal; and most importantly, ensuring that supply is adequate and reliable. With access to electricity in Ghana been low for some time now with no improvement in sight, there is the need for a study such as this. The paper sought to examine the challenges preventing the progress of accessible electricity in Ghana. The paper adopted a systematic review approach and used publications that focused on or related to the subject understudy. Key findings identified in the paper include; poor pricing, increasing demand and supply shortfalls coupled with irregularities, institutional restrictions, lack of credible off-taker and lack of policy and project continuity. To address these challenges, suggested recommendations include; exploring all means of getting power source, including LNG, Solar, landfill gas and nuclear power, establishing a vibrant and robust power ministry that can help reform and also help in revenue collection.},
 year = {2015}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward
AU  - Aaron Yaw Ahali
Y1  - 2015/12/17
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12
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JF  - International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering
JO  - International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering
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SN  - 2326-960X
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AB  - Growth in demographic requirements, increased urbanization and rural electrification coupled with an ever-increasing technological demand, and the aspiration to transform into a middle-income country have led to a fast growth in energy demand in the past two decades in Ghana. Yet there is a huge deficit in supply and this has become a major limitation to growth and quality of life. As Ghana has devoted itself to universal access to electricity by 2020, the real challenge is in reaching the capacity to meet this goal; and most importantly, ensuring that supply is adequate and reliable. With access to electricity in Ghana been low for some time now with no improvement in sight, there is the need for a study such as this. The paper sought to examine the challenges preventing the progress of accessible electricity in Ghana. The paper adopted a systematic review approach and used publications that focused on or related to the subject understudy. Key findings identified in the paper include; poor pricing, increasing demand and supply shortfalls coupled with irregularities, institutional restrictions, lack of credible off-taker and lack of policy and project continuity. To address these challenges, suggested recommendations include; exploring all means of getting power source, including LNG, Solar, landfill gas and nuclear power, establishing a vibrant and robust power ministry that can help reform and also help in revenue collection.
VL  - 5
IS  - 2-1
ER  -

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Author Information

Aaron Yaw Ahali

Department of Economics and International Studies, the University of Buckingham, UK

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APA Style

Aaron Yaw Ahali. (2015). Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward. International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, 5(2-1), 9-17. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12

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ACS Style

Aaron Yaw Ahali. Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward. Int. J. Energy Power Eng. 2015, 5(2-1), 9-17. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Aaron Yaw Ahali. Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward. Int J Energy Power Eng. 2015;5(2-1):9-17. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12,
  author = {Aaron Yaw Ahali},
  title = {Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward},
  journal = {International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering},
  volume = {5},
  number = {2-1},
  pages = {9-17},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12},
  abstract = {Growth in demographic requirements, increased urbanization and rural electrification coupled with an ever-increasing technological demand, and the aspiration to transform into a middle-income country have led to a fast growth in energy demand in the past two decades in Ghana. Yet there is a huge deficit in supply and this has become a major limitation to growth and quality of life. As Ghana has devoted itself to universal access to electricity by 2020, the real challenge is in reaching the capacity to meet this goal; and most importantly, ensuring that supply is adequate and reliable. With access to electricity in Ghana been low for some time now with no improvement in sight, there is the need for a study such as this. The paper sought to examine the challenges preventing the progress of accessible electricity in Ghana. The paper adopted a systematic review approach and used publications that focused on or related to the subject understudy. Key findings identified in the paper include; poor pricing, increasing demand and supply shortfalls coupled with irregularities, institutional restrictions, lack of credible off-taker and lack of policy and project continuity. To address these challenges, suggested recommendations include; exploring all means of getting power source, including LNG, Solar, landfill gas and nuclear power, establishing a vibrant and robust power ministry that can help reform and also help in revenue collection.},
 year = {2015}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Improving Electricity Access in Ghana Challenges and the Way Forward
AU  - Aaron Yaw Ahali
Y1  - 2015/12/17
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12
T2  - International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering
JF  - International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering
JO  - International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering
SP  - 9
EP  - 17
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-960X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepe.s.2016050202.12
AB  - Growth in demographic requirements, increased urbanization and rural electrification coupled with an ever-increasing technological demand, and the aspiration to transform into a middle-income country have led to a fast growth in energy demand in the past two decades in Ghana. Yet there is a huge deficit in supply and this has become a major limitation to growth and quality of life. As Ghana has devoted itself to universal access to electricity by 2020, the real challenge is in reaching the capacity to meet this goal; and most importantly, ensuring that supply is adequate and reliable. With access to electricity in Ghana been low for some time now with no improvement in sight, there is the need for a study such as this. The paper sought to examine the challenges preventing the progress of accessible electricity in Ghana. The paper adopted a systematic review approach and used publications that focused on or related to the subject understudy. Key findings identified in the paper include; poor pricing, increasing demand and supply shortfalls coupled with irregularities, institutional restrictions, lack of credible off-taker and lack of policy and project continuity. To address these challenges, suggested recommendations include; exploring all means of getting power source, including LNG, Solar, landfill gas and nuclear power, establishing a vibrant and robust power ministry that can help reform and also help in revenue collection.
VL  - 5
IS  - 2-1
ER  -

Copy | Download