Former Volta River Authority (VRA) Chief Executive, Kweku Awotwi has expressed worry debts owed power producers and fuel suppliers like the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCO).

He says if government does not settle the debts in good time, it could worsen the country’s energy situation.

According to him, the crisis that has bedeviled the energy sector the past three years is purely a financial issue adding the relative stability being enjoyed currently, would be short-lived if urgent steps are not taken the address the sector’s debt situation.

Power producers and suppliers of fuel are currently owed in excess of $2 billion – a situation which has seen the curtailment of gas supplies from WAPCO for instance thereby, negatively impacting power generation.

Speaking with JOY BUSINESS at an evening session with experts on energy sector promises by political parties Mr Awotwi said immediately settling the debt is critical in ensuring the situation is not exacerbated.

"Today we have a generational capacity of 3500 megawatts if not more, the currently using around 2000 megawatts and we know part of the reason is the emergency plants that have come in over the last months. 

"We still have large sections of the population suffering Dumsor for different reasons...it is much better than what it was before but we are not in a sustainable place and there are various reasons for that. But I would argue that the biggest reason is the financial one. 

He explained that this is because there is so much debt that the state owes citing a "$2 billion owed by various entities. And if the VRA is not paying WAPCO the $180 million they owe, VRA owes Ghana Gas $350 million, how long can that go on for?"

Mr Awotwi does not see any way out of the woods for Ghana warning if no plan is drawn on how to address the mounting debts, they would become something else.  

Also speaking at the forum, Executive Director of Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KITE), Ishmael Edjekumhene, expressed concern about what he said are shallow energy policies being proposed by the most of the political parties in their manifestos.