Two former Ministers for Energy under the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration have vented their anger at the government for rebranding the controversial Ameri Power Plant procured at US$510 million in 2013 to shore up power generation to tackle the debilitating power crisis during that period.
Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, a former Minister for Energy and Petroleum, and Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor, former Deputy Power Minister, described the government’s rebranding of the Ameri Power Plant as Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant as shameful, a lack of integrity and an insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians.
The duo who accused the government of failing to manage the energy sector well said instead of the government acknowledging the foresight and proactive measures that was taken by the previous administration, the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia administration chose to discredit, vilify and undermine former President John Mahama’s initiatives for their own political gain at the time.
In a post on Facebook, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah wrote: “The Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government’s renaming spree is not limited to universities but now extends to the power sector.
“The rebranding of the Ameri Power Plant as the Kumasi 1Thermal Power Plant is not merely a superficial change but a cynical attempt to distort historical facts and mislead the public about the true origins of this critical infrastructure.
It is, however, important that the people of Ghana do not forget the history of the Ameri power plant.
“The Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government’s pattern of renaming projects initiated by previous administrations is a clear reflection of their lack of innovation and leadership in the energy sector.
“The once-thriving energy sector that was bequeathed to this government by President Mahama has regrettably been eroded under their watch. We are currently struggling with ‘dumsor’ due to the indebtedness made worse by this administration.
“The good people of Ghana deserve leaders who are committed to honesty, accountability and genuine progress, not hollow promises and superficial gestures,” parts of his post read.
On his part, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor wrote: “The only thing the Akufo-Addo administration has done is to relocate the units to Kumasi in Ashanti. And as if this is not enough, they have gone a step further by deciding to recommission the same plants on 17th April 2024. Interestingly, this same plant was commissioned under President Mahama.
“This attempt to appropriate achievements of President Mahama and present them as that of this non-performing government will no longer be countenanced,” he said.
Last week, this portal reported that President Akufo-Addo would on Wednesday 17th April 2024 inaugurate the Ameri Power Plant which is currently located at Anwomaso near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The 250MW power plant which is on a wheel and comprised 10 units with each producing 25MW was originally located at Aboadze in the Western Region, but relocated to Anwomaso to stabilise the national grid and ensure power supply reliability in the Ashanti Region.
The plant was procured from the UAE-based Africa & Middle East Resources Investment Group in 2015 by the erstwhile government, when the West African nation was experiencing an erratic power supply due to a shortfall in electricity generation.
The plant cost US$510 million and it was to be managed by its owners for five years and later transferred to the Government of Ghana under the Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) agreement.
The Ameri deal was one of the number of power deals which generated public furor, with the then opposition, the New Patriotic Party, now in government, accusing the then administration of ripping the nation.
After negotiations between the current government and the Ameri Group, the latter waived over US$2 million of the cost of the plant.
In 2022, the plant was handed over to Ghana and VRA was assigned to manage it.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com