Overstaffing driving up Ghana Gas operational costs – CEO tells parliament

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, Judith Blay, has cited overstaffing as a major factor contributing to the company’s increasing operational expenses, revealing that staff numbers have ballooned from just over 250 in 2016 to nearly 1,300 in 2024.

Blay made the disclosure during her appearance before Parliament’s Energy Committee on Friday, June 20, where she responded to concerns regarding the company’s performance and financial management.

> “At Ghana Gas, we are about 1,290 in number. This is the staff strength. I needed to establish that because I know honourable members are interested in employment, so I needed to say this phrase—that Ghana Gas is seriously overstaffed,” Blay said candidly.

She pointed out that while employment creation is important, the rapid growth in personnel over the years has placed significant financial strain on the company’s resources.

> “Back in 2016, we had around 250 staff. Now, that number has shot up to over 1,200. This has become a major cost driver for the company,” she explained.

Blay emphasized that the core mandate of Ghana Gas is to operate and maintain the gas processing plant and ensure a reliable supply of gas for power generation. According to her, staffing levels should align with this technical requirement rather than exceed it unnecessarily.

> “Ghana Gas’ 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 noted.

Despite the staffing challenges, Blay also highlighted the company’s robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, adding that while such efforts are commendable, improving internal operational efficiency must remain a top priority.

> “I’m sure you also know that Ghana Gas has done a lot in terms of CSR,” she added, while calling for a more streamlined approach to staffing and cost management moving forward.