Drought and Power Rationing in the West African Sub-Region
Poku Adaa
"The situation with hydro-power in the West African region is like that of a farmer who piles all his eggs in a single basket in that Ghana and Ivory Coast, for instance, all investments in energy have been geared towards hydro-power generation and now attention is being focussed on the rationale behind the projects," reports POKU ADAA, from Accra.From agriculture, to electric power supply, to domestic and industrial water supply, the unceasing drought holds sway over the lives of people, high and low, in the West African region. And in no specific utility, is the impact so indirect yet so effective than the generation of hydro-power on which the economy of all the countries in the region is so dependent. The lack of rainfall has drastically reduced by evaporation, the water levels in the lakes and reservoirs which feed water to turn the power-generation turbines.
In Ghana it has been estimated that over 60 percent drop of the water level from its minimum operating level of 248 feet has been achieved in recent times. Over the past six months, the water level has constantly receded below this minimum.
The peoples' Daily Graphic publishes the daily levels to remind everyone of the necessity to consume less power. Power supplies are in the meantime dwindling to trickles. The government has mounted a vigorous campaign to ration the power and reports indicate that this has achieved about a 20% cut in the power consumption in the country. Everyone is holding his breath until the rains come again
There have been sporadic rains in the past three weeks although these have mostly occurred in the hinterland, particularly in Ashanti where rain storms ripped Kumasi apart recently. Despite these freak rainstorms, the south has yet to experience any consistent rainfall to make any desired impact on the Akosombo lake water volume. Beyond the rationing and the wait for the rains to splash where it is needed, the nation is gripped in a patriotic spirit and sentiments for the people to put off their domestic lights at 9.00pm and for the affluent middle class to stop using their electric cookers and air conditioners in favour of charcoal and firewood for cooking.
Elsewhere in the country, where, already, productivity is near zero, factories are on compulsory 3-day working week and some small-scale businesses are ignoring the law in order to stay in business. According to sources close to the Electricity Corporation, "illegal power users" i.e., those businesses who use power from 6pm-9pm (the official allotment time for domestic users) face action by the Peoples' Courts. Whether this lean power season has taught any lessons to national economic planners is doubtful as any ideas of alternative energy supplies exist only in files in board rooms.
Power shortage in Ghana automatically affects Togo and Benin which draw approximately 90% of their power consumption from the Akosombo grid. Austerity measures are in force in homes and factories in Cotonou to stretch the little they can draw. The Togolese phosphate mines and the already crippled CIMAO cement complex are already victims of the power reductions.
In the Ivory Coast, austerity measures have been in force for some time now with residential areas in the Williamsville quarter of Abidjan securing power for at most an hour per every twenty hours. The country's electricity authority have been supplying between 30 and 40% of national consumption since the power shortages became acute several months ago.
Now the authority, EECI has ordered four huge gas turbines to raise supply levels to about 85% of national consumption and it is estimated that Hospitals and key industries will be spared the austerity measures and many medium-scale industries are acquiring their own generators to fit in with periods of national supply cut offs.
The situation with hydro-power in the West African region is like that of a farmer who piles all of his eggs in a single basket in that in Ghana and Ivory Coast, for instance, all investments in energy have been geared towards hydro-power generation and now the drying lakes are focusing more attention on the rationale which appeared sound many years ago when dams were being constructed.
NEW BUDGET MEASURES
A further devaluation by 14 percent announced by Finance Secretary Dr Kwesi Botchway in his 1984 budget means that the cedi will now be exchanged at 35 cedis to one US dollar. In April last year the cedi rate jumped from 2.75 per one dollar to 30 cedis to one dollar following an IMF prescribed devaluation by the PNDC.In the same budget the government has raised the minimum daily wage from 24 to 40 cedis. This is grossly short of the demand of 300 cedis a day by the Trades Union Congress on behalf of Ghanaian workers.
The budget envisaged a total of 28.5 billion cedis 22.6 billion of which being recurrent and 4.5 billion for development, mobilisation and redeployment. The total revenue projected is 22.6 billion cedis thereby leaving a deficit of 5.9 billion cedis. An amount of $992.4 million will be spent on imports in anticipation of $641 million from exports.
A cocoa pricing committee had been appointed with effective farmer representation to decide on the producer price of cocoa. This committee was reported to have met last week in Accra.
Other measures announced in the budget are:
A new net wealth tax on property.
Relief for parents whose wards are in boarding schools.
Prices of maize, rice and sugar are to remain till the end of the year.
New prices of petroleum products are Premium - 55 cedis, Regular - 50 cedis, Gas oil - 36 cedis and Kerosine - 30 cedis per gallon.
