Ghana: PURC Inaugurates Consumer Service Committee In Savannah Region
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in the Republic of Ghana has inaugurated a Consumer Services Committee in Damongo, the Regional Capital of the Savannah Region.
This forms part of the Commission’s continued and deliberate efforts to bring its services closer to the doorsteps of the general public in areas where the Commission has no offices.
Inaugurating the Committee, Dr Ishmael Ackah, Executive Secretary of the PURC, said the move was in line with section 31 of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission Act, 1997 (Act 538).
He further stated that the Committee, among other functions, was to make representations and consult with the regulated public utilities, on matters that affect consumers in their areas of jurisdiction to keep under constant review, issues affecting the interests of consumers; to educate customers on their rights, and responsibilities concerning utility services provision and the conservation of utility services; to advise the Commission on matters relating to utility services and to monitor the performance of utilities in the location of the Committee.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana:NPA Staff Supports Surgery Of Robbery Victim
The Staff of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has donated GHc60,000 towards the surgery of a lady who has been rendered incapacitated by some suspected robbers.
The amount was raised through welfare endowment fund and the contribution of executive management and officers of the Authority.
The victim, a former national service officer with the NPA, was said to have been injured by robbers who snatched her phone in Accra.
It was in an attempt to protect her phone that the robbers allegedly inflicted severe injury on her, rendering her bed ridden and speechless.
Receiving the cash donation, the family of the victim thanked workers of NPA for the donation.
They said the gesture would go a long way to support the surgery on the victim.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GOIL Plc Loses Chief Operating Officer
Ghana’s leading indigenous oil marketing company, GOIL Plc, has lost its Chief Operating Officer Alex Josiah Adzew, energynewsafrica.com can confirm.
Mr. Alex Josiah Adzew passed away in the United States of America (USA) where he was receiving treatment after falling ill.
Mr. Adzew was appointed the first Chief Operating Officer of GOIL Plc in October 2016.
Before his appointment, he was the Fuel Marketing Manager of the company.
A statement by Dr Marcus Deo Dake, Head of Corporate Affairs at GOIL Plc., which confirmed the passing on of Mr Adzew said: “It is with deep regret and sorrow that we announce the passing away of our Chief Operating Officer Mr. Alex Josiah whose death occurred on Monday 13th March 2023 after a short illness.”
The statement said a book of condolence has been opened at GOIL head office in Accra to allow industry players and friend to express their grief adding that details of the funeral would be announced later.
Profile Of The Late Adzew
Mr Josiah Adzew was a Mechanical Engineer by profession and had a wealth of work practice and experience in the petroleum industry, having joined Ghana Oil Company in 1992, initially as a Sales Engineer from the Tractor and Equipment (Division of Unilever) where he was the Inventory Control Manager.
Since joining GOIL, Mr Adzew served in various capacities as Sales Engineer in the Takoradi Zonal Office and Senior Sales Engineer/Special Assistant to the Area Manager for the Western Region.
He was later transferred to the Head Office as Lubricants Marketing Manager with additional responsibilities for LPG, Bunkering and Aviation Business.
Through hard work, he became the Head of the Department of Technical and Special Products with a special mandate to spearhead the entry of GOIL into the Aviation Industry as well as the Bunkering Business.
In January 2013, he was appointed the Fuels Marketing Manager of the Company.
Alex Josiah Adzew had a wealth of practical field experience under his belt, having attended various courses and seminars and undertaken business trips to support the company in the areas of Lubricants, Bunkering, Aviation, Marketing, Finance, Project Management and Retail Network development.
In March 2016, he participated in International Oil Trading Course at Princeton-Oxford in the U.K to get the company prepared to take its leadership role in the petroleum downstream sector following the deregulation of petroleum prices.
His interest in career excellence motivated him to participate in some local and international courses including Leadership Skills for Managers, Positioning Companies for Export Competitiveness, Health Safety and Environmental Training for Marketing Staff and Effective Credit Control as well as in Banking.
Mr Adzew had a First Class BSc (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (1990); and an Executive Master of Business Administration (Money and Banking) from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Fuel Prices Drop Marginally
Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the Republic of Ghana have adjusted their pump prices downward with some reducing petrol by 53 pesewas while diesel saw a 36 pesewas reduction.
Unlike other parts of Africa where fuel prices are reviewed monthly, in Ghana, fuel prices are reviewed every two weeks.
Given this, Oil Marketing Companies, on Monday, started reducing their pump prices.
A litre of petrol is now selling between GH¢11.25 and GH¢12.65 while diesel is sold between GH¢12.59 and GH¢12.84.
Leading Oil Marketing Companies like GOIL, Shell and TotalEnergies are all selling petrol at Gh¢12.65 per litre while diesel is sold at Gh¢12.84 per litre.
Petrosol, one of the best indigenous Oil Marketing Companies, is selling petrol at GH¢12.15 per litre while diesel is being sold at GH¢12.69 per litre.
Cash Oil is selling petrol is sold at GH¢12.59 per litre while diesel is sold at GH¢12.99 per litre.
Star Oil is selling petrol at GH¢11.69 per litre while diesel is sold at GH¢12.69 per litre.
Zen petroleum is selling petrol at GH¢11.49 per litre while diesel is sold at GH¢12.69.
Alinco oil is selling petrol at GH¢11.25 while diesel is being sold at GH¢12.70
Duke’s petroleum is selling petrol at GH¢11.92 per litre while diesel is sold at GH¢12.70 per litre.
Goodness sells petrol at GH¢11.25 per litre while diesel is sold at GH¢12.70 per litre.
Allied is selling petrol at GH¢11.26 per litre while diesel is sold at GH¢12.56 per litre.
Engen is selling petrol at GH¢12.25 per litre while diesel is sold at GH¢12.67 per litre.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: ECG Disconnects 310 Customers In Tema
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Tema Region has disconnected three hundred and ten customers from the national grid for non-payment of electricity consumed.
The disconnections were done as part of the Company’s one-month nationwide revenue mobilisation programme which began on March 20, 2023, and is expected to end on April 20, 2023.
The 310 disconnected customers were part of a total of 2,344 customers who were visited within the first two weeks of the exercise.
The affected customers include individuals and small, medium and large-scale industries.
Revenue mobilisation is usually part of the ECG’s operations and is handled by the Revenue Protection Unit.
However, for this special exercise, the organisation rallied the management team and all back-end staff from the very top to the bottom, who do not usually deal with customers directly, to partake in this activity.
The members of the Board of Directors also joined in this exercise.
General Manager for ECG, Tema Region, Ing Ankomah Emmanuel, encouraged customers to “do well to pay up their bills to avoid debt and possible disconnection.”
He added that “we entreat customers not to make any payment whatsoever to any staff of the company on the field as that is not part of this exercise.”
All customers are to make all cash payments at ECG offices and to make cheque payments at the banks.
Alternatively, payments can be made through the phone short code *226#.
Ing Ankomah added that the exercise would continue while hoping that more customers would work towards clearing up their debts owed ECG.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Uganda’s UETCL Taps GRIDCo’s Fibre Optic Expertise
Uganda’s electricity transmission company officials have visited Ghana’s power transmission company, GRIDCo to hold three days of discussions on the Optic Fibre Business, of which GRIDCo has excellent expertise.
The delegation was led by Jjumba Abdu Karim.
The visit follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) and GRIDCo about six months ago for collaboration.
The Acting Director at the Office of the Chief Executive of GRIDCo, Mr Sam Acquah, led the GRID Consult, Southern Network Department, to conduct interactive sessions on working models adopted by GRIDCo commercialization of fibre.
Commenting on the visit, Jjumba Abdu Karim said, “We will start a fresh page of a profitable and economically viable fibre business. We will also adopt a good fibre business strategy; a fibre business roadmap and restructure the ICT organogram accordingly. Additionally, the team will correct the errors made to avoid losses and litigation issues.”
Mr Karim added that the next steps are to revamp UETCL’s Fibre Business model to incorporate the lessons learnt in GRIDCo benchmarking.
The UETCL, after its commencement in 2001, held a Public Infrastructure Provider’s Licence from the Uganda Communications Commission for owning and operating their optic fibre infrastructure with the primary purpose to support the Supervising Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system in ensuring grid availability and reliability in Uganda.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana:PETROSOL Donates Gh¢30,000 To Support Free Surgeries For Under-Privileged People
Petrosol Ghana Ltd, one of the leading indigenous Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), has donated GH¢30,000 to the Ghana Reconstruction of Anomaly and Trauma Fund (GRAFT FOUNDATION) aimed at giving a second chance at a normal life to the underprivileged who are facing permanent disfiguration and have no money to undergo surgery to correct the situation.
The company has, for about seven years now, been supporting the GRAFT Foundation financially to transform many lives mostly in rural and peri-urban communities through reconstructive surgery.
Making this year’s donation to GRAFT Foundation, Lawrencia Himans, the Head of Finance and Planning of PETROSOL, indicated that notwithstanding the current economic challenge and its adverse impact on the company’s operations, PETROSOL is still committed to its partnership with GRAFT Foundation and, thus, would support them to continue with their excellent work of addressing the medical needs of victims of trauma from disasters, burns and road accidents, breast cancer as well as treatment of children born with birth defects correctable by plastic surgery.
Receiving the donation, the Chief Executive Officer of the Graft Foundation, Dr Brainerd Anani expressed profound appreciation of the GRAFT Foundation to PETROSOL Ghana’s continuous support for this worthy course to bring hope and smiles to individuals, families and society.
He said 2023 marks the GRAFT Foundation’s 10th anniversary of transforming many lives, and said the support from PETROSOL over the years has significantly helped them come this far.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
OPEC+ Oil Alliance Announces Surprise Production Cuts From May
Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ oil producers have announced voluntary cuts to their production amounting to about 1.15 million barrels per day (bpd), calling it a “precautionary measure” aimed at market stability.
The 23-nation group had been largely expected to stick to its already agreed 2 million bpd cuts when its ministerial panel, which includes Saudi Arabia and Russia, meets virtually on Monday.
In October, OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and 10 allies led by Russia, agreed on output cuts of 2 million bpd from November, angering Washington because tighter supply boosts oil prices.
The United States has argued that the world needs lower prices to support economic growth and prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from earning more revenues to fund the Ukraine war.
Sunday’s unexpected voluntary cuts, which start from May, come in addition to the ones already agreed in October.
Riyadh said it would cut output by 500,000 bpd while Iraq will reduce its production by 211,000 bpd, according to official statements.
The United Arab Emirates said it would cut production by 144,000 bpd, Kuwait announced a cut of 128,000 bpd while Oman’s cut will be 40,000 bpd and Algeria’s 48,000 bpd.
Kazakhstan will also cut output by 78,000 bpd.
Russia’s deputy prime minister said Moscow would extend a voluntary cut of 500,000 bpd until the end of 2023.
Moscow announced those cuts unilaterally in February after the introduction of Western price caps.
After Russia’s unilateral reductions, US officials said its alliance with other OPEC+ members was weakening, but Sunday’s move shows the cooperation is still strong.
A Saudi energy ministry official “emphasised that this is a precautionary measure aimed at supporting the stability of the oil market”, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
Oil prices fell to 15-month lows last month in response to the banking crisis that followed the collapse of two US lenders and resulted in Credit Suisse being rescued by Switzerland’s biggest bank UBS.
“OPEC is taking pre-emptive steps in case of any possible demand reduction,” Amrita Sen, founder and director of Energy Aspects, said on Sunday.
Source : Aljazeera
Ghana: ECG Releases Timetable For Six Hours Loading Shedding Exercise
Ghana’s southern power distribution company, Electricity Company of Ghana has begun a six hour load shedding management exercise across its operational areas in the West African nation effective Thursday night.
According to a timetable released and copied energynewsafrica.com, some areas in Accra, capital of Ghana, Tema, Eastern, Ashanti, Western, Central, and Volta Regions will experience power cuts from 6pm to 11pm from Thursday, March 30 to Friday, April 7, 2023.
The load shedding management exercise follows the shut down of Atuabo Gas Processing Plant operated by Ghana National Gas Company for mandatory maintenance.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Energy, said the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant was shut down on March 25, 2023.
“The shutdown will affect gas supply to some power plants and will ultimately result in interruptions of power supply to some consumers,” the statement issued by the Ministry said.
A statement jointly issued by Ghana Grid Company Limited GRIDCo and ECG on Thursday said the shut down of the gas plant will result in approximately 150 megawatts of power generation shortfall.
Clink on the link below for the full timetable
ECG_LoadMgt_Schedule
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Ghana Gas, Ivorian Delegation Discuss Gas Pipeline Project
Ghana’s natural gas aggregator, Ghana National Gas Company, has hosted an Ivorian delegation to discuss the bi-directional pipeline project between the two West African nations.
The project is part of a Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in 2017 by the Heads of State of Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire.
The Ivorian delegation was led by Mr.. Noumory Sidibe, Director General of CI-Energies, while Dr Ben Asante, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, represented the Government of Ghana.
According to a post sighted on the Facebook page of Ghana Gas, it said during the meeting, Dr Ben Asante reiterated Ghana National Gas Company’s commitment to the successful completion of the gas pipeline project.
He emphasised the importance of gas in industrialisation and affirmed that it would not only be used for power generation but also for fertilizer production and other industrial purposes.
Both countries have discovered oil and gas in commercial quantities, making it necessary to have a bi-directional gas pipeline to supply gas to each other based on demand.
The Ivorian delegation also paid a courtesy call to the Ministry of Energy and was received by the Deputy Minister for Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, on behalf of the Minister for Energy.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Uganda: South Africa’s Eskom Hands Over Hydro Power Plants To Uganda Gov’t After 20 Years Operation
South Africa’s power firm, Eskom, has returned two hydropower plants to Uganda after the Ugandan Government declined to renew its licence.
Last year, the Ugandan government announced it would not renew Eskom’s licence when it expired this month, but would instead run the plants as part of plans to reduce power costs to consumers.
Part of those plans, according to the government, was to reduce private capital in the sector.
“We also strongly believe that Eskom has built adequate local capacity that will be able to continue the proper operations and maintenance of the complex,” Energy Minister Ruth Ssentamu Nankabirwa said while taking over the plants from Eskom.
In a speech during Eskom’s transfer, Nankabirwa said state-run Uganda Electricity Generation Company Ltd (UEGCL) would now operate the plants.
She said the government was conducting an audit to determine if it owed Eskom any compensation for ‘unrecouped’, investments.
“The Government of Uganda is ready to fulfil the outstanding obligations that will arise out of this audit,” the Minister noted.
Under a 20-year concession signed in 2002, Eskom had been running the two plants located at the source of the River Nile in Jinja, about 90km (56 miles) East of the capital, Kampala.
Both plants have a combined installed generation capacity of 380 megawatts.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Breaking News: Ghanaians To Experience Load Shedding For 14 Days
Ghanaians will be experiencing power outages in the next fourteen days as the country’s Energy Ministry announces shut down of Atuabo Gas Processing Plant operated by Ghana National Gas Company.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Ghana National Gas Company shut down its Atuabo Gas Processing Plant on March 25, 2023, for mandatory maintenance and the exercise is expected to last for 14 days.
“The shutdown will affect gas supply to some power plants and will ultimately result in interruptions of power supply to some consumers,” the statement issued by the Ministry said.
Ghana: South Africa High Commissioner To Ghana Visits Sunon Asogli Power
South Africa’s High Commissioner to the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency Grace Mason, has paid a working visit to the Sunon Asogli Power plant at Kpone in the Greater Accra Region.
Sunon Asogli Power Ghana is the largest private power-producing company in the Republic of Ghana.
The visit by the High Commissioner follows a courtesy call last month to the embassy in Accra by a business delegation of the company led by its Chairman, Mr Yang Qun, and Director, Togbe Afede XIV.
Togbe Afede XIV, speaking on behalf of the company, thanked Her Excellency for keeping her promise to visit Sunon Asogli Power.
He then used the occasion to highlight the company’s accomplishments as well as some of its challenges since 2007.
Togbe Afede XIV explained that what is notable is the “Shenzhen Speed”—the passion and record time at which Shenzhen Energy executes its projects.
He later requested the High Commissioner’s assistance in making Shenzhen Energy’s vision of establishing a presence in South Africa a reality as soon as possible.
The South African High Commissioner, H.E. Grace Janet Mason, for her part, welcomed the company’s pledge to invest in South Africa’s power sector.
She emphasised that South Africa’s electricity market is more developed and stable, providing a better investment climate for investors.
She added that South Africa is also politically stable, with the rule of law and additional laws protecting investors.
She went on to say that Shenzhen’s energy investment in South Africa’s power sector would come at an optimal time because it would increase the country’s electricity supply.
She mentioned that Ghana has many South African investments in operation, however, she emphasized that investment between the two countries has historically been one-way, so she is pleased that Ghana is acting as a conduit for Chinese investment into South Africa.
Her Excellency invited Sunon Asogli to attend the 2023 South Africa Investment Conference, which would be held in Johannesburg in mid-April.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
She emphasised that South Africa’s electricity market is more developed and stable, providing a better investment climate for investors.
She added that South Africa is also politically stable, with the rule of law and additional laws protecting investors.
She went on to say that Shenzhen’s energy investment in South Africa’s power sector would come at an optimal time because it would increase the country’s electricity supply.
She mentioned that Ghana has many South African investments in operation, however, she emphasized that investment between the two countries has historically been one-way, so she is pleased that Ghana is acting as a conduit for Chinese investment into South Africa.
Her Excellency invited Sunon Asogli to attend the 2023 South Africa Investment Conference, which would be held in Johannesburg in mid-April.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Ghana: Foreign And Indigenous Oil Firms Warn Of Possible Collapse Of Upstream Petroleum Industry If
Indigenous and foreign oil and gas firms operating in the Republic of Ghana are warning of the possible collapse of the West African nation’s upstream sector due to the proposed Growth and Sustainability Levy.
According to the firms, the proposed Growth and Sustainability Levy, if passed, would cripple the local upstream firms and also trigger disinvestment by the IOCs.
As part of efforts to secure a three billion dollar bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ghana is seeking the passage of some revenue bills.
The bills include the Excise Tax Stamp and Excise Duty Amendment, Income Tax amendment and Growth and Sustainability Levy, among others.
However, the move has been criticised by the Ghana Upstream Petroleum Chamber.
“The provision for a 1% tax on gross production for oil and gas companies represents an increase in royalty. There is also a 5% tax on profit before tax that applies to the oil and gas service companies, meaning taxes will be imposed irrespective of the financial performance of the target business.
“Introducing additional taxes at a time when the industry is going through challenging times is rather unfortunate, anti-business and risks the collapse of indigenous oil service companies as well as trigger disinvestment by International Oil Companies,” a statement by the Chamber said.
According to the chamber, the industry considers this levy as the latest in a series of creeping taxation that is affecting the economic balance of petroleum agreements.
Other examples of creeping taxation include the COVID-19 Recovery Levy, Ghana Education Trust Fund Levy, National Insurance Levy and the one per cent Local Content Fund Levy.
The chamber urged the government to pursue a path of reserves and revenue growth through the expedited award of exploration blocks to prospective investors rather than breaching provisions of Petroleum Agreements to raise money from creeping taxation, which could trigger litigation through the international courts.
“This new tax disregards the importance of the preservation of contract sanctity to the promotion of new investment.
“Unpredictability of the fiscal terms of our petroleum agreements will disincentivise new oil and gas investment at a time when financial institutions are curtailing investment in fossil fuels.
“This Growth and Sustainability Levy will damage investments,” commented Joe Mensah, Senior Vice President of Kosmos Energy Ghana, and Chairman of the Upstream Petroleum Chamber.
In his comments on the issue, the CEO of the Upstream Petroleum Chamber, David Ampofo said, “This new tax is an increase in royalties in disguise and imposition that will inhibit further the growth of our service companies.
“The lack of stability and predictability on a matter as important as tax means businesses cannot even be sure what their investment returns are likely to be.
“It is in Ghana’s continued interest to encourage exploration and development of its hydrocarbon reserves by attracting foreign capital, but there are taxation impediments that need addressing, and creeping taxes such as this are an example.
“When creeping taxes and levies become the norm, tax avoidance and disinvestment become inevitable.
“We, therefore, urge the government to reconsider the Bill and send a positive signal to the market.
“Industry is ready to join hands with other affected parties to engage the government on this matter,” the chamber concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com