The Member of Parliament (MP) for Oforikrom, Michael Kwesi Aidoo, has launched a scathing critique of the Ghana National Gas Company following a recent disclosure by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO) confirming a major technical fault at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant.
In a statement, the MP described the situation as a “damning indictment of incompetence and mismanagement,” citing GRIDCO’s 15 April 2026 press release which revealed a failure in the Burner Management System (BMS) controller linked to the plant’s Heat Medium System (HMS).
The fault forced an emergency shutdown, disrupting gas supply to thermal power plants and triggering power outages across parts of the country.
According to the MP, the development validates concerns he raised in August 2025 regarding what he described as a “botched maintenance exercise” at the Atuabo facility.
At the time, Ghana National Gas Company had undertaken a scheduled shutdown approved by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to carry out essential maintenance works.
However, shortly after the exercise, the company announced it had successfully completed the maintenance ahead of schedule, claims the MP now insists were misleading.
He argues that the maintenance works, particularly on the HMS, were poorly executed and involved questionable procurement decisions.
Central to his concerns is the awarding of a key contract to Blue Power Ltd., a firm he alleges lacked the technical expertise required for such a critical operation.
The MP claims the company failed to properly flush and service the system, leaving residues that compromised the plant’s operations.
He further noted that despite early signs of operational challenges following the August 2025 shutdown, Ghana Gas dismissed public concerns and failed to conduct a transparent investigation.
Instead, the plant reportedly operated below optimal capacity for months, forcing the country to rely on costly alternative fuels to sustain electricity generation.
“This is not just a technical failure; it is a governance failure,” the MP stressed, pointing to what he described as a pattern of poor decision-making, lack of oversight, and attempts to conceal the extent of the damage.
The latest shutdown, he argued, has significant national implications. Beyond the immediate power disruptions, commonly referred to as “dumsor”, the country now faces mounting financial costs from emergency fuel procurement, potential system replacement, and broader economic losses.
The MP is therefore calling for urgent government intervention, including an independent audit into the operations of Ghana Gas, as well as a full parliamentary inquiry.
He insists that individuals responsible for the procurement decisions and maintenance oversight must be held accountable.
He also raised concerns about possible conflicts of interest, questioning the ownership and selection process of Blue Power Ltd., and whether due diligence procedures were followed.
