Ghana Gas Blames Rising Operational Costs On Overstaffing

Management of Ghana Gas has identified overstaffing as a key contributor to its rising operational costs, with staff numbers growing from just over 250 in 2016 to more than 1,200 as of 2024. The concern was raised by the Chief Executive Officer, Judith Blay, during an appearance before Parliament’s Energy Committee on Friday, June 20. At Ghana Gas, we are about 1,290 in number. This is the staff strength. I needed to establish that because I know that honourable members are interested in employment, so I needed to say this phrase that Ghana Gas is seriously overstaffed, she told the Committee.

Blay noted that the surge in personnel has significantly strained the company’s financial resources. At the time in 2016, we were 250, and then between 2016 and now, Ghana Gas’s staff strength is over 1,200, she said. She emphasised that the company’s core function is to maintain the gas processing plant and ensure a steady supply of gas for power generation, suggesting that staffing beyond these essential needs adds to cost pressures.

Ghana Gas’ core mandate or core work is to maintain the plant and ensure we have gas to power. So one of the cost drivers of Ghana Gas is exactly that, she explained. While highlighting Ghana Gas’s extensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, Blay stressed that streamlining internal operations is vital for efficiency. Now, I’m sure you also know that Ghana Gas has done a lot of corporate social responsibility, she noted.