Armah Buah descends on government for failing to relocate Karpower badge to Takoradi

The former Petroleum Minister of the erstwhile John Mahama government, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah has descended heavily on the Akufo-Addo led government for failing to relocate the Karpower badge to Takoradi in the Western Region.

The current Energy Minister, Mr. Peter Amewu in a statement issued within the week rebutted a news publication by Graphic concerning the price of ENI Gas project.

According to the Energy Minister, the price of 40 million dollars per month cannot be possible as there have been negotiations for a drop in the price of gas from 10.15 to 7.89 dollars per MMBtu.

Again, the Minister said, operators have been taking a daily value of 60 million standard cubic feet of gas which has reduced the amount of unutilized gas to 80 million standard cubic feet which comes at a cost of 28 million dollars.

Meanwhile, the government says it is accelerating the relocation of the Karpowership to the Sekondi Naval Base this year to take up the unutilized gas.

"The Government is accelerating the relocation of the Karpowership to the Sekondi Naval Base this year, and to convert it to use gas, which would take up to 90mmscfd. This will then eliminate the take or pay deficiency, and allow for the full 180 mmscfd to be produced including GNPC’s share", Mr. Amewu emphasized.

But in a quick rebuttal, the former Petroleum Minister and the current Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Hon. Kofi Buah has said the NDC government started the process of locating the 450MW Karpowership Badge to Takoradi to replace the 250MW ship at Tema to off-take part of the gas.

According to him, the NPP government has failed to relocate the badge to Takoradi and only interested in changing Fuel Suppliers with Karpower and fruitless renegotiations.

The statement said, "The NDC government also commenced the process of locating the 450MW Karpowership Badge to Takoradi to replace the 250MW Ship in Tema to off-take part of the Gas".

"After two long years of inertia and procrastination, the NPP government has lost focus and failed to relocate the karpower badge to Takoradi. Instead, this government has only been interested in changing Fuel suppliers with karpower and fruitless renegotiations", he emphasized.

The statement added "Secondly, the interconnection of the Ghana Gas pipeline and the West African Gas pipeline has also not been done. In fact, the contract for the interconnection was only awarded six months ago- The NPP government has also failed to release funds for Wapco as required, all of which has resulted in costly and avoidable delays".

The statement charged "The Present government must take full responsibility and stop pointing accusing fingers at the NDC".

Below is the full statement;

NPP’s INCOMPETENCE ON DISPLAY AGAIN-IN THE HANDLING OF ENI’s OCTP PROJECT

The NDC government in a comprehensive effort to address Ghana’s energy challenge as well as address the issue of fuel security for our thermal plants embarked on the production of indigenous gas and initiated the no flaring policy.

After the successful completion of the Atuabo gas project, the next effort was the historic ENI’S OCTP project to utilize the associated and non-Associated Sankofa gas. This project represents a game-changer in the country’s gas-to-power ambitions with about 45,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and 180 mmscf of Gas, enough to generate 1000 MW of power daily.

The task then was to ensure that power plants were in place and ready to receive the ENI Gas. This culminated in the process of implementing an aggressive and well-coordinated programme by contracting Thermal Plants such as the Karpowership, Ameri, AKSA, KTPP aimed at utilizing the anticipated Gas to be delivered from the ENI Gas.

Before the NDC left office we initiated processes to interconnect the Ghana National Gas Transmission System with the West African Gas Pipeline System part of the broader Long Term vision to ensure a sustainable and reliable supply of Gas. This is to allow a reverse flow of gas from the West (Takoradi) to the East to serve power plants in the Tema enclave. This initiative received cabinet approval before the NDC left office. This was so critical to ensure that the ENI Gas was not stranded.

The NDC government also commenced the process of locating the 450MW Karpowership Badge to Takoradi to replace the 250MW Ship in Tema to off-take part of the Gas.

NPP's FAILURE

After two long years of inertia and procrastination, the NPP government has lost focus and failed to relocate the karpower badge to Takoradi. Instead, this government has only been interested in changing Fuel suppliers with karpower and fruitless renegotiations.

Secondly, the interconnection of the Ghana Gas pipeline and the West African Gas pipeline has also not been done. In fact, the contract for the interconnection was only awarded six months ago- The NPP government has also failed to release funds for Wapco as required, all of which has resulted in a costly and avoidable delays.

It is therefore preposterous to blame the NDC for the failures of the present administration in ensuring that the infrastructure to receive the Gas is completed, which is critical towards ensuring a sustainable and reliable supply of power to the ordinary Ghanaian.

The Present government must take full responsibility and stop pointing accusing fingers at the NDC.

Ghanaians will not buy it.

Signed!

Kofi Buah

MP Ellembelle/Former Petroleum Minister