Estimated at a cost ranging between US$300,000 and US$400,000, excluding cost of hardware as may be required, the software would enable the sector to gather data from various agencies within the sector, identify technical performance and capacity shortcomings with regards to data management.

The proposed software is part of a four-point action plan suggested at the end of an energy sector Capacity Scan (CAP-Scan) conducted under the Compact II of the Millennium Challenge Compact. It was developed by CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Limited, an Indian firm.

In a speech read on his behalf at a workshop on the outcomes of the CAP-Scan consultancy in Accra, Minister of Energy, Boakye K. Agyarko said the implementation of the software would enhance the sector’s ability and institutional readiness to effectively monitor quality of service delivery in line with the managing for development results process.

He said the growth of any economy was inextricably linked to adequate and reliable power supply, “Indeed all the challenges confronting Ghana’s energy sector require strategic multi-sectorial approach and must be tackled using the evidence-based decision making process.”

These included inter-agency coordination, national planning, evidence-based decision making, monitoring and evaluation systems and capacity, as well as legislative and regulatory oversight, which informed the four key areas covered in the action plan.

Mr. Agyarko said government had made significant strides in its efforts aimed at finding sustainable solutions to the challenges.

Mr Satnam Singh, Director, Energy and Natural Resources Infrastructure Advisory at CRISIL said one challenge revealed that there was too much involvement of human interventions in data handling.

He said the CAP-Scan highlighted several challenges with data management in the sector, inconsistent information used in various agencies, adding that the software would help produce statistics and accurate information to deal with the challenges.

Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), expressed optimism that the software would ensure the delivery of high quality services at all levels across the value chain.

He however expressed worry about the lack of authentic data in Ghana for use in decision making and said the proposed interventions were foundational activities that would provide quality services to the public.

By Agnes Opoku sarpong