Kosmos Energy, a US-based energy firm and one of the Jubilee Field partners offshore Republic of Ghana, has planned to invest US$1.3 billion to rump up gas production in the TEN field.
This new capital injection is expected to lead to the production of more gas for Ghana at a relatively cheaper price.
Joe Mensah, senior Vice President and head of the Ghana Business Unit of Kosmos Energy, who disclosed this during an interview at the just-ended African Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa, hopes the new investment would improve the performance of the field which was earlier designed to produce 80,000 barrels of oil per day but has since been churning out lower volumes.
Ghana, according to him, is now paying US$2.90 per MMBTU of gas from the Jubilee field.
He said, “The TEN field was designed to produce 80,000 barrels of oil a day but today it is producing only 20,000 barrels, and the investment that we’ve made in there we want to make sure that we get some value from it
“We’ve discovered that we can actually explore for more gas in the TEN field and the country needs gas badly. So we want to invest US$1.3 billion to improve the TEN field so we pull more gas for the country,” he added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The United States lifted sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry after the Nicolas Maduro government reached a deal with the opposition that could see elections held next year.
The deal was the condition that Washington set for the lifting of the sanctions.
As a result of the easing of sanctions, analysts predict Venezuela’s oil production could increase by 25%.
“The United States welcomes the signing of an electoral roadmap agreement between the Unitary Platform and Maduro representatives,” Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a news release.
“Consistent with U.S. sanctions policy, in response to these democratic developments, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued General Licenses authorizing transactions involving Venezuela’s oil and gas sector and gold sector, as well as removing the ban on secondary trading,” he added.
The statement cautioned that the Treasury reserves the right to revoke any or all of the newly issued licenses in case the “Maduro representatives” fail to stick to their word regarding a new electoral map for Venezuela.
Reports about the deal emerged earlier this month, following a string of signals from Washington it was ready to ease the sanction regime in return for commitments from the Venezuelan government to hold new elections.
The U.S. made the biggest move in that direction last year, when it granted Chevron a license to return to Venezuela, and that was without asking for commitments from the Maduro regime because imports of Russian heavy crude had to be replaced urgently with Venezuelan heavy.
Now, the new license regime would allow financial transactions involving PDVSA, which could boost Venezuelan oil exports significantly.
Crude oil exports from Venezuela last month topped 800,000 barrels daily, which was the second-highest monthly export rate since the start of the year. Most of the exports went to China, Reuters reported in early October.
The increase in exports came on the back of a recovery in production, mainly in the Orinoco Belt which is home to most of Venezuela’s oil reserves.
Source:Oilprice.com
Energy News Africa Michael Creg Afful attended the African Energy Week 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa and captured some of the scenes. Below are exclusive photos from the conference.
H.E. Hage Geingob (seated), President of Namibia in a hand shake with Gwede Mantashe (standing) Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Republic of South Africa.Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Uganda.Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Energy, Republic of Ghana.
Aggrieved workers of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) in the Republic of Nigeria have resumed work after reaching an agreement with management on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
The workers, under the National Union of Electricity Employees and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, locked KEDCO’s head office and all regional offices over Management’s failure to resolve several welfare issues.
They accused the Managing Director of betraying all the collective bargaining agreements reached with the union, arguing that the action of the MD and Management of KEDCo was unprecedented in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
However, following the industrial action, management engaged the unions in a meeting that lasted for hours last Wednesday night.
A copy of the heads of agreement reached between management and the unions outlined steps and time for the resolution of issues raised by the unions.
KEDCO pledged to confirm staff appointment, pay 2021&2022 13th month pay in three installments between October and December, pay death benefits to next of kin of deceased staff, pay of exit package and payment of pension remittance.
In a statement signed by management, it apologised to its customers for the inconveniences caused them by the actions of the workers.
It announced the restoration of power supply and other electricity services.
“As we get back to serving you with commitment and dedication, please be assured that we are taking all necessary measures to ensure stability and quality of our electricity supply,” KEDCO said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Energy Media Group, organisers of the prestigious Ghana Energy Awards (GEA), has released the full list of nominees for the 2023 edition of the Awards.
Nominations into the 2023 Ghana Energy Awards (GEA) closed on Friday, September 29, after a 100-day nominations window opened at the official media launch on July 27.
Featuring nominees across the competitive categories for the event this year, the list includes individuals, organisations and institutions in the power and petroleum subsectors of the country’s energy sector.
This year’s event features 24 competitive categories, including the prestigious Energy Personality of the Year (Male and Female), Chief Executive of the Year (Power and Petroleum), Green Chief Trailblazer Award, Energy Transition Most Valuable Award, Energy Signature Award and the Energy Advocate of the Year.
Others are the Energy Institution of the Year, Energy Company of the Year, Brand of the Year, Rising Star Award (Individual and Company) and Energy Reporter of the Year, among others.
The 7th Ghana Energy Awards is under the theme: ‘Ghana’s Energy Transition Framework: Sector Institutions as Building Blocks for the 2030-2040 Targets’, and is endorsed by the Ministry of Energy and the World Energy Council, Ghana, with validation by Mazars.
The Ghana Energy Awards scheme is an industry-accepted initiative put together to recognise excellence and innovation in the country’s energy sector and acknowledge deserving players striving in various aspects of the industry.
This announcement of nominees is one of several activities that the Awards Secretariat has lined up before the main event.
Site visits by the Awarding Panel and the Secretariat to nominees’ project sites are also currently ongoing.
This activity is to ascertain the accuracy of claims made by nominees on the ground. This activity makes the GEA one of the few award schemes that insists on field verification to ensure that awards won by players at the close of the review period are duly deserved.
The main event of this year’s Ghana Energy Awards is scheduled for Friday, November 17, 2023.
Ghana’s largest indigenous oil marketing company, GOIL PLC, has inaugurated five Auto Gas stations simultaneously at five specific locations nationwide at a ceremony held at the Burma Camp GOIL Service Station in Accra, on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
The five locations include the Cape Coast By-Pass in the Central Region, the GOIL Burma Camp, and Kpeshie Service Station in the Greater Accra Region, Paco Gas station, Takoradi in the Western Region (yet to be approved by NPA), and Kentinkrono, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
This move by GOIL is in preparation for the full implementation of the government’s cylinder recirculation module (CRM) policy, which aims to ensure that by 2030, 50 percent of Ghanaians have access to safe, clean, and environmentally friendly liquefied petroleum gas.
Speaking at the opening of the new gas stations in Accra, the Group CEO of GOIL PLC, Kwame Osei-Prempeh said GOIL is at the forefront of meeting all the supply chain requirements set by the NPA.
Mr. Osei Kwame Prempeh, Group CEO of GOIL PLC.
This commitment is demonstrated through the construction of two Cylinder Bottling Plants, one in Kumasi and another in Tema, as well as the establishment of five modern Auto Gas stations.
He further explained that the sites were selected because they meet the necessary criteria, including approval from the Land Use & Spatial Planning Authority, compliance with National Petroleum Authority (NPA) regulations, profitability, and ensuring that customers in different areas have access to modern and safe gas facilities.
“The Modern Auto Gas Stations are designed based on current construction procedures and international safety standards. The technical experts used Gas Leakage Detection Alarms, Loading Arms, Sprinkler Systems, Automated and Emergency Shut-Off Valves coupled with underground LPG storage tanks fitted with standard equipment. The reason for the choice is to ensure the risk of LPG leaks with the resultant fire accidents and explosions is reduced to the barest minimum. The Modern Auto Gas Stations would reduce manual handling of the opening and closing of valves, which makes them a safer option for dispensing LPG into vehicles in Ghana,” Hon. Osei-Prempeh stated.
He also mentioned that talks between GOIL’s Technical and Special Products Department and the NPA highlighted the importance of adding cylinder filling stations to the project.
This is necessary to ensure that GOIL can continue providing safe cylinder filling services to its LPG customers until the complete rollout of the CRM.
Mr. Osei-Prempeh added that the inauguration of the facilities would further strengthen and widen the company portfolio and consolidate gains already made in the LPG business, saying, “As an indigenous company, GOIL would continue to do its business in the national interest and ensure that the interest and safety of our consumers always come first.”
Speaking on behalf of the sector Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, his Deputy Minister for Energy, Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer congratulated GOIL PLC for achieving this milestone, an accomplishment the entire nation takes pride in.
He said the inauguration of the modern Auto Gas station at Burma Camp and by extension, the other four stations in Kpeshie, Cape Coast, Takoradi, and Kumasi marked a significant achievement in the implementation of energy policy as it pertains to the transport sector in Ghana.
He stated further that the opening of the facilities represents a major achievement in the country’s energy policy, which has been to adopt natural gas as a transition fuel for power generation and transportation.
“GOIL’s opening of these modern autogas stations is, therefore, in full alignment with Ghana’s just energy transition pathway to net-zero status. The expectation is that the increased access to safe outlets for the sale and purchase of autogas in the country would translate into a gradual increase in the usage of gas-powered vehicles nationwide, he stated.
“It is also the expectation that the association of a trusted indigenous brand like GOIL, with autogas, would enhance confidence in the use of gas for vehicle fueling and dispel any existing negative safety-related notions on the use of gas for transportation purposes, he added.
Again, Mr. Mercer stressed his firm belief that the establishment of more autogas stations would catalyze the opening of businesses and services such as specialized retrofitting and servicing garages which are necessary to support the gradual migration toward the use of gas-to-power vehicles.
“The attendant increase in employment opportunities in the space would be a significant benefit to Ghana’s economy. GOIL PLC has indeed blazed a trail that all OMCS operating in Ghana must follow,” he said.
Esther Anku, a Senior Programme Officer at the NPA, emphasized that the facilities would deepen the country’s efforts to ensure 50 percent of Ghanaians have access to safe, clean, and environmentally friendly liquefied petroleum gas by 2030.
“I am very excited to see these facilities come to fruition, but, how they are operated and maintained is crucial,” she added
She, therefore, urged the management of GOIL to embrace technological innovations to deliver unrivaled customer experience, as well as maintain the safety measures embedded in the facilities.
The construction of the stations was in partnership with South Korea’s Yooju Engineering and Construction Limited.
The Dealer of the Burma Camp GOIL Service Station, Aretha Barkers Woode expressed delight and thanked GOIL for using her station to inaugurate all the five auto gas stations simultaneously.
She urged motorists, household consumers, and the general public to patronize the station to experience the best service in gas and other fuels at the Burma Camp GOIL Service Station.
Present at the ceremony were high-level military officers, industry players, former MD of GOIL, Mr. Patrick Akorli, Brand Ambassador of GOIL, Prof Azumah Nelson, Mrs. Faustina Nelson, former Board Members of GOIL, Board Members and management of GOIL Plc, Moses Asaga and Alhassan Tampuli, former CEOs of NPA, OMC boss, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Duah, Executive Secretary of COPEC, Mr Duncan Amoah, officials from NPA, GSA, EPA, GNFS, FID among and some GOIL dealers.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Sogakofe Senior High School in the Volta Region of Ghana has been crowned the winner of 2023 Edition of the High School Renewable Energy Challenge after a fierce competition from five schools at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Six schools qualified from all the 16 zones for the grand finale.
They included Serwaa Kese Girls SHS, Dorma SHS, Kwabre SHS, Mfantsiman Girls SHS, Yaa Asantewaa Girls SHS and Sogakofe SHS which won the competition.
The six competing Senior High Schools presented their projects and they were critically and careful examined by the panel of judges plus questions about their work.
Serwaa Kese Girls Senior High placed sixth recording 81.3% after they were asked to substantiate their claims that their project which is an innovation for fossil use and hatchery equipment as efficient.
Their product would use residue from its production to feed the birds, reduce energy consumption and produce about 65 birds per hatch, which is 90 per cent efficient.
Dorma SHS came 5th with 82.4 per cent.
Their project was centered on solving post-harvest losses to enhance high profitability for farmers.
Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS came 4th with 83.5 per cent, with a project on how to solve the Green House problems facing Ghana and how it would help reduce government’s spending in that sector.
Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ SHS placed 2nd with their hydro-panics planting system which ensure the hygiene of foods, and Sogakofe SHS was 1st with their multi-factional farming equipment.
It digs holes for planting seeds, it plants, it helps in irrigating of the crops and assists in disinfecting crops at the same time.
All the competing schools and their trainers were rewarded with cash, generators, laptops and other equipment running into thousands of Ghana Cedis.
The competition was on the theme ‘Mechanised Small-scale Agriculture, Using Renewable Energy Technologies’.
The Second-Lady of Ghana, Her Excellency Mrs Samira Bawumia was the Special Guest of Honour
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has signed a 7-year loan agreement with Nigeria’s Alphaden Energy & Oilfield Limited for the construction of a 20 million standard cubic feet per day gas processing facility in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
The agreement was signed by Paschal Anyanwu, CEO of Alphaden Energy & Oilfield Limited, and Rene Awabeng, Director and Global Head of Client Relations at Afreximbank, during the second day of African Energy Week (AEW) 2023, taking place in Cape Town.
“We all believe that gas is going to play a leading role in how we develop Africa’s energy security,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, who was present at the deal signing, adding, “This is going to be a 45 billion Naira ($60 million) energy facility that will be developed by an African company. On behalf of the African Energy Chamber and Afreximbank, we salute you.”
The project will be built at the Obama flow station, situated in Oil Mining License 63, and will have the capacity to produce 405 million tons per day of Liquefied Natural Gas and 294 barrels per day of crude condensates.
“We believe that every little step that we take will help make contributions towards the energy independence of this continent,” Anyanwu stated, adding, “This day marks a significant day in this journey, and hopefully there will be more that will follow in these footsteps as we follow those before us.”
The facility will be repaid from the sale of condensate gas, which has been secured by six offtakers and will be transported using 20-ton ISO tanks to customers throughout Nigeria’s six geopolitical regions.
Poised to reduce gas flaring and generate significant value from Nigeria’s natural gas resources, the transaction is very significant for Afreximbank with regards to its commitments to Africa’s energy transition.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited, Dr. Ben K.D. Asante was among the speakers at the 14th Multi-year Expert Meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The meeting was held from Monday, October 9, to Wednesday, October 11, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
Addressing participants of experts from various sectors across the world, Dr. Asante talked about the oil and gas industry in Ghana, zeroing in on the policies guiding the industry in his country.
“The policy is to look at using some of the gas for power generation because it is like a direction that the government wants to take in terms of increasing our electricity penetration, especially in the rural areas,” he said.
He later made the point that country-specific policies must be formulated to meet the needs of respective citizens.
The 14th session of the expert meeting is a neutral platform for sharing country experiences in terms of successful strategies and policies implemented at national, regional, and international levels to effectively manage commodity price volatility.
More precisely, the expert meeting assesses the links between commodity price volatility and key macroeconomic indicators in commodity-dependent and Developing Countries (CDDCs), and the links between commodity price volatility and food security in net-food-importing countries.
The meeting in Geneva also discussed market and technology-based instruments that can help manage price risks.
The next session, to which the Ghana Gas boss has been invited, is scheduled to be held in Belgium.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The OPEC+ group doesn’t plan to take any immediate action in the wake of the Iranian call for Islamic countries to impose an oil embargo on Israel over the war with Hamas in Gaza, OPEC+ sources told Reuters on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Iran urged Muslim countries – which are all of the OPEC+ producers in the Middle East – to impose an oil embargo on Israel over the latest deadly air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Iran wants “an immediate and complete embargo on the Zionist regime by Islamic countries, an oil embargo against the regime,” according to a statement from the foreign ministry on Telegram quoted by Bloomberg.
Israel’s army and Hamas blamed each other for the overnight attack on a hospital, which sent oil prices jumping by more than 2% early on Wednesday.
Currently, OPEC+ doesn’t plan any extraordinary meeting or any immediate action, the Reuters source said, after Iran condemned Israel for a missile strike on the hospital in Gaza that killed about 500 people.
OPEC is not a political organization, one of the sources told Reuters.
OPEC and OPEC+ have stayed away from commenting officially on geopolitical matters through the years, including on the U.S. sanctions on OPEC members Iran and Venezuela, and the U.S. and EU sanctions on OPEC+ producer Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.
Israel is a small oil importer, but the further escalation of the Hamas-Israel war into the wider Middle East is not being ruled out, and analysts are increasingly concerned about supply from the world’s most important oil-exporting region.
The calls from Iran for an oil embargo on Israel came on the day on which U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Israel.
“I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion of the hospital in Gaza yesterday, and based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you,” President Biden said at a briefing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Source:Oilprice.com
The Gambia’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, and H2 Gambia Limited – a subsidiary of HydroGenesis – have inked an agreement on hydrogen exploration in the MSGBC country.
The deal was signed on Tuesday after the official opening of the 2023 African Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa.
Ben Sayers, Director for HydrogenGenesis H2 The Gambia initialed on behalf of his company while Sheick Omar Bittaye, Director of Petroleum at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, signed on behalf of Alieu Jawo, Acting Director for Geological Department of the Ministry.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Hon. Abdoulie Jobe.
The deal paves the way for the two parties to cooperate on research to determine The Gambia’s onshore hydrogen potential.
Bittaye, said the deal allows for extensive research to be undertaken over a period of one year and forms part of the country’s energy decarbonization efforts.
Commenting on the role of the project on local content development, Bittaye added that “In the event we find commercial hydrogen prospects, the deal will enable the optimization of the entire hydrogen and energy value chain which will in turn create more job and economic growth opportunities for the local people.”
A new deal will also be signed to allow hydrogen production in the event H2 Gambia Limited discovers commercial scale hydrogen resources in the country.
The deal comes at a time The Gambia is maximizing its energy exploration efforts through partnerships with global oil, gas and hydrogen energy companies to ensure energy security and affordability.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The 2023 African Energy Week was officially opened Tuesday with presidential addresses from H.E. Hage Geingob, President of Namibia, H.E. Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, H.E. Macky Sall, President of Senegal and Former President of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Presidential keynotes drew attention to the critical role the conference plays in facilitating deals while solidifying Africa’s development narrative ahead of COP28 this year.
In line with the #AEW2023 theme – The African Energy Renaissance: Prioritizing Energy Poverty, People, the Planet, Industrialization and Free Markets, the respective Presidents detailed the significant potential of Africa’s energy resources in meeting dual goals of industrialization and sustainability.
Other speakers at the opening ceremony were H.E. Haithaim Al Ghais, Secretary General of OPEC, H.E Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), President of OPEC and Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbon, Equatorial Guinea H. E. Antonio Oburu Ondo and H.E Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, Minister for Hydrocarbons, Congo.
The conference brought together energy leaders, global investors and executives from across the public and private sector.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The opening panel discussion at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 conference in Cape Town – organized by the African Energy Chamber – drew attention to the vital role Africa’s energy resources will play in addressing global security concerns.
Speakers explored the potential the continent holds in this arena while providing insights and recommendations to fast-tracking development.
Ahead of the panel discussion, Calib Cassim, Interim Group CEO of South Africa’s state-owned Eskom, provided insight into the utility’s efforts to achieve energy security.
He stated that, “We look forward to using transition technologies such as gas and renewables. There will be some element of nuclear [in the energy mix] as well. Eskom cannot do this ourselves: we need to work with government and the private sector.”
Recent geopolitical challenges have highlighted the need to diversify global supply chains, and Africa has emerged as the market of choice amid these efforts.
The continent not only offers an array of established energy markets with proven plays but a wealth of untapped opportunities, opening lucrative prospects for E&P players and capital providers.
António Saide, Vice Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mozambique, shared that, “We have the solution to the world’s challenges regarding energy security. We have the energy resources, from coal to renewable energy. We have land for agriculture and can produce biofuels. We can deliver as much as is needed for the world.”
While African energy stands to provide the security global markets so desperately require, the continent’s own energy needs take precedence. Over 600 million people are without access to electricity, a figure expected to grow unless adequate investment is made across the entire energy value chain.
According to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Energy, Ghana, “We need energy security, we need industrialization, and the opportunities that African countries have with their oil and gas resources cannot be ignored. We are interested in developing a blend of energy sources to make [Africa] energy self-reliant. For those reasons, Africa cannot afford to stop drilling and utilizing gas.”
Osvaldo Inácio, Executive Board Member, Sonangol echoed these remarks, stating that, “Half of the population addition will be in Africa. We will need to make sure that there is energy security to meet that demand. As we do that, we also need to make sure we are decarbonizing our operations by deploying technology…it requires multiple solutions.”
Speakers highlighted the need to transition to cleaner sources of energy, with partners such as Saudi Arabia playing a key role in facilitating opportunities in this area.
Eng. Fuad Mosa, Deputy Minister of Localization, Local Content and Risk Management, Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia, stated that, “We are trying to help, not only Africa, but the youth of the future. Yes, we need the energy transition, but we need to understand that the energy transition will be different from place to place.”
Following a surge in regulatory reforms and policy adjustments, Africa’s investment climate has never been more attractive. The continent has turned into a not-to-be-missed business opportunity and #AEW2023 stands to facilitate a wave of new deals.
Countries such as South Sudan are highly attractive.
Puot Kang Chol, Minister of Petroleum, explained further, stating that, “South Sudan has a bankable alternative pipeline and scalable refinery projects. Investing in fossil fuels, particularly in South Sudan, is not a waste. You will not be there supporting us; we will be doing business together.”
Neighboring Uganda has made great strides towards developing an attractive investment environment.
According to Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, “You must create an investment-conducive environment to pull the private sector to come and develop. You also have to work on regional cooperation. Uganda is developing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and the East African Power Pool. This allows us to share resources.”
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Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Volta River Authority (VRA), managers of the Akosombo and Kpong Hydroelectric Power dams has set aside GHS 10 million as part of its humanitarian efforts to help alleviate the plight of people adversely affected by heavy flooding resulting from the spillage of excess water from the two dams.
The ongoing spillage, which began about a month ago, has created a humanitarian challenge downstream of the lower Volta in several communities in parts of the Volta, Eastern and Greater Accra regions.
Last week, the power distribution company donated two trucks of relief items to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for onward distribution to victims of the spillage.
The items included bags of rice, cartons of mackerel, cooking oil, tomato paste, soft drinks, biscuits, powered milk, mosquito coils, palm oil, toilet rolls, beans, gari, groundnut and sachet water.
The authority has also deployed water tankers to consistently make water available to affected persons, provision of medical items and personnel to screen and administer medical treatment to emerging health issues. Additionally, it has also restored damaged water supply system in the North Tongu District.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Monday, after the visit of President Akufo-Addo to the affected communities, VRA said it was working round the clock to protect lives in the affected communities through the evacuation of victims and their subsequent relocation in areas designated as havens, as well as the provision of relief items to support their temporal stay at the safe places.
In that regard, the Authority has provided buses and off-road pick-up vehicles to convey victims to designated areas of safety.
Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, Chief Executive Officer of VRA addressing section of Ghanaian journalists during a visit to some of the affected communities.Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
He stated further that the opening of the facilities represents a major achievement in the country’s energy policy, which has been to adopt natural gas as a transition fuel for power generation and transportation.
“GOIL’s opening of these modern autogas stations is, therefore, in full alignment with Ghana’s just energy transition pathway to net-zero status. The expectation is that the increased access to safe outlets for the sale and purchase of autogas in the country would translate into a gradual increase in the usage of gas-powered vehicles nationwide, he stated.
“It is also the expectation that the association of a trusted indigenous brand like GOIL, with autogas, would enhance confidence in the use of gas for vehicle fueling and dispel any existing negative safety-related notions on the use of gas for transportation purposes, he added.
Again, Mr. Mercer stressed his firm belief that the establishment of more autogas stations would catalyze the opening of businesses and services such as specialized retrofitting and servicing garages which are necessary to support the gradual migration toward the use of gas-to-power vehicles.
“The attendant increase in employment opportunities in the space would be a significant benefit to Ghana’s economy. GOIL PLC has indeed blazed a trail that all OMCS operating in Ghana must follow,” he said.
Esther Anku, a Senior Programme Officer at the NPA, emphasized that the facilities would deepen the country’s efforts to ensure 50 percent of Ghanaians have access to safe, clean, and environmentally friendly liquefied petroleum gas by 2030.
“I am very excited to see these facilities come to fruition, but, how they are operated and maintained is crucial,” she added
She, therefore, urged the management of GOIL to embrace technological innovations to deliver unrivaled customer experience, as well as maintain the safety measures embedded in the facilities.
The construction of the stations was in partnership with South Korea’s Yooju Engineering and Construction Limited.
The Dealer of the Burma Camp GOIL Service Station, Aretha Barkers Woode expressed delight and thanked GOIL for using her station to inaugurate all the five auto gas stations simultaneously.
She urged motorists, household consumers, and the general public to patronize the station to experience the best service in gas and other fuels at the Burma Camp GOIL Service Station.
Present at the ceremony were high-level military officers, industry players, former MD of GOIL, Mr. Patrick Akorli, Brand Ambassador of GOIL, Prof Azumah Nelson, Mrs. Faustina Nelson, former Board Members of GOIL, Board Members and management of GOIL Plc, Moses Asaga and Alhassan Tampuli, former CEOs of NPA, OMC boss, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Duah, Executive Secretary of COPEC, Mr Duncan Amoah, officials from NPA, GSA, EPA, GNFS, FID among and some GOIL dealers.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
Commenting on the role of the project on local content development, Bittaye added that “In the event we find commercial hydrogen prospects, the deal will enable the optimization of the entire hydrogen and energy value chain which will in turn create more job and economic growth opportunities for the local people.”
A new deal will also be signed to allow hydrogen production in the event H2 Gambia Limited discovers commercial scale hydrogen resources in the country.
The deal comes at a time The Gambia is maximizing its energy exploration efforts through partnerships with global oil, gas and hydrogen energy companies to ensure energy security and affordability.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
In a statement posted on Facebook on Monday, after the visit of President Akufo-Addo to the affected communities, VRA said it was working round the clock to protect lives in the affected communities through the evacuation of victims and their subsequent relocation in areas designated as havens, as well as the provision of relief items to support their temporal stay at the safe places.
In that regard, the Authority has provided buses and off-road pick-up vehicles to convey victims to designated areas of safety.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com