Accra, Ghana – Ghana is facing a growing risk of widespread power outages (commonly known as “dumsor”) as chronic gas supply challenges force the national grid operator to shed nearly 200 megawatts of electricity daily, energy sector insiders have warned.

According to multiple sources familiar with the situation, power plants in the Tema enclave — which supply much of Greater Accra — are not receiving enough natural gas to meet current demand. Ghana requires approximately 230 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of gas to run its thermal plants at full capacity, but is currently receiving only about 170 mmscf/d — 100 mmscf from the domestic Ghana Gas Company and 70 mmscf from Nigeria via the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo).

The shortfall has left the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) with little choice but to implement daily load shedding to balance the system. Insiders described the situation as “alarming” and a clear pointer to an imminent broader power crisis if urgent investments are not made.

The problem has been compounded by increased demand following the installation of additional thermal generation capacity under the previous administration to stabilise power in the middle belt and northern regions. While those generators eased pressure on the national grid at the time, they also significantly raised overall gas consumption without a corresponding increase in supply infrastructure.

Recent intermittent outages reported in parts of Greater Accra and the Ashanti Region have officially been attributed to “planned maintenance” and transformer replacements. However, sector experts and insiders argue that such routine works cannot account for widespread and persistent interruptions. They point instead to a combination of deficient transmission infrastructure causing low voltages and insufficient generation due to the gas shortfall.

One senior source, speaking on condition of anonymity, criticised the government’s explanation as a “public relations move” and called for transparency: “The Ghanaian populace deserve to know what is happening.”

The development raises fresh concerns about the stability of Ghana’s power supply ahead of the peak demand season and as the country continues to pursue industrialisation and economic growth. Energy analysts say long-term solutions will require urgent investment in gas infrastructure, diversification of energy sources (including accelerated renewable energy projects), and improved maintenance of existing generation and transmission assets.

The Ghana Grid Company and the Ministry of Energy have not yet issued a detailed public response to the claims of daily 200MW load shedding.

Thursday, March 26, 2026. Stay informed with today’s front pages of Ghanaian newspapers, all in one place.

A new coronavirus variant, BA.3.2, is rapidly spreading across the United States and appears to partially evade protection from existing COVID-19 vaccines, according to federal health officials and new laboratory data.

The variant, descended from the Omicron lineage, was first detected in South Africa in 2024 and entered the U.S. in June 2025 via a traveler from the Netherlands. It began surging in September 2025 and has now been identified in clinical samples, nasal swabs from international travelers, and wastewater surveillance across at least 25 states, including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Ohio.

According to a report in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, BA.3.2 carries approximately 70 to 75 genetic changes in its spike protein — the part of the virus that allows it to enter human cells. These mutations appear to make the variant more transmissible and better able to evade antibodies generated by current vaccines, which target JN.1 subvariants.

Lab studies showed that the 2025–2026 LP.8.1-adapted mRNA COVID-19 vaccine elicited the lowest antibody neutralization against BA.3.2 among the variants tested. Researchers noted that while the vaccine still offers protection against currently dominant JN.1 strains, its effectiveness against BA.3.2 may be reduced.

So far, there is no evidence that BA.3.2 causes more severe disease than other Omicron offshoots. However, its genetic distinctness from the JN.1 lineages that have dominated since early 2024 has raised concerns among scientists about the need for potential vaccine updates later in 2026.

The variant has been detected in 23 countries worldwide. Its emergence underscores the continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and the importance of ongoing genomic surveillance, wastewater monitoring, and timely vaccine adaptation.

Health authorities continue to recommend staying up to date with current COVID-19 vaccinations, practicing good ventilation, and using masks in high-risk settings, while emphasizing that vaccination still provides strong protection against severe illness and hospitalization even as new variants emerge.