ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON PEACE AND SECURITY IN GHANA

Frequent power cuts termed “dumsor’’ in Ghana has ignited the concern of many Ghanaian s in recent times. Needless to say, this is not the only problem facing the country but power cut has been given prominence in most discussions of late because of it peace and security implication in Ghana. Hydro power which has been the main source of electrical power for the people of Ghana has faced crisis in recent years. Hydroelectric power (HEP) dominance in the national power generational-mix; accounts for about 58.4 percent (Awotwi, 2011). HEP has not been reliable due to unfavorable rainfall regimes and increasing temperatures resulting from climate change. Gyau-Boakye and Tumbulto, (2001) identified that climate change has reduced the volumes of the Volta Lakes tributaries by more than 20 percent. Their comparisons of runoffs for two time periods show reductions in mean stream flows of 32.5 percent at Saboba on the River Oti and 23.1 percent at Nawuni on the White Volta (Gyau-Boakye & Tumbulto, 2000). Niasse, (2005) also adds that West Africa’s major rivers (Niger, Senegal and Volta) have experienced concomitant decrease in average discharge of between 40 to 60 percent.