A former Deputy Minister for Power and Ranking Member on Mines and Energy Committee in Ghana’s Parliament, John Abdulai Jinapor, has slammed the Minister for Energy Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh for allegedly approving Genser Energy Limited to establish a gas processing plant to compete with Ghana Gas for feedstock.
“We can only have one gas plant in addition to Atuabo Gas Processing Plant.
“So first of all, for the Minister to have approved that Genser Energy should establish a gas processing plant while Ghana Gas also plans to establish another plant is wrong.
“We can’t have two different gas plants concurrently being established…the feedstock is not there,” John Abdulai Jinapor said in an exclusive interview with energynewsafrica.com.
It would be recalled that two weeks ago, the Senior Staff of Ghana Gas Association issued a statement, accusing the energy minister of allegedly approving for Genser Energy to establish a gas processing plant to compete with Ghana National Gas Company.
The workers could not fathom why the sector minister would do that since the President of Ghana, Akufo-Addo, last year, tasked Ghana Gas, which is the West African nation’s national gas aggregator, to establish a second gas processing plant to process more gas for electricity generation and domestic consumption.
Since the President tasked Ghana Gas, the company, under the leadership of Dr Benjamin K.D Asante, has been working tirelessly to realise that dream.
In an angry tone, the Energy Ministry responded to a statement by the Senior Staff Association and accused the CEO of Ghana Gas of misleading the workers.
However, John Abdulai Jinapor found the Ministry’s response inappropriate.
“For a Minister of State to accuse the Chief Executive of one of the companies directly under his supervision of undermining his authority…instigating workers against him tells you that the centre cannot hold. This cannot happen under President Mahama,” Mr Jinapor stated.
In the view of Mr. Jinapor, a private company should not be approved to establish a second gas processing plant to compete with a state entity since there is limited feedstock.
He suggested that it is only when Ghana Gas cannot or is not in the position to establish a second gas processing that a private company could be asked to partner with them or form a joint venture.
“I will wish and strongly advocate that Ghana Gas, which is the state-owned entity, ought to be given preference above anybody,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
