Civic Advocates Save Ghana Millions Of Dollars As Aker’s AGM Relinquishes Its 80% Interest In The SDWT

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Civic Advocates Save Ghana Millions Of Dollars As Aker’s AGM Relinquishes Its 80% Interest In The SDWT
In a stunning move, Aker’s AGM has relinquished its 80% interest in the South Deepwater Tano Block. This comes after a long and hard-fought battle by Ghanaian civil society organizations (CSOs) to protect the country’s interests in the oil industry. The battle began in August 2021, when CSOs rallied on fascinating advocacy projects to prevent a composite transaction that would transfer Aker’s interest in the Pecan field and the SDWT block to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). The SDWT Block was valued at an outrageous $700 million at 65% commercial risking ($804m unrisked), based on untested and unappraised Nyankom discovery and bizarre assumptions about contingent resources of about 421 MMbls. When CSOs’ analytical evidence showed that Ghanaian politicians and GNPC were simply seeking to pervert standard practices in the oil industry on valuation and asset acquisition, we were faced with a super coordinated assault on our character by leading members of government, GNPC, sections of the media and members of parliament. Also, some academics and dark forces on the corridors of power, who had never commented on the oil industry but suddenly became industry experts, endorsed the transaction and vilified activists. On the side of the government, we were always prepared for their defence, even though their defence lost decorum and respect for the work of the civil society group. In some instances, we were described as having eaten fufu (a local Ghanaian dish) and lost reasoning. They sponsored high-profile prime-time interviews to tell the nations that CSOs only sought to derail the best decision ever taken in the oil industry. I could appreciate the government’s defence. They had a deal to defend even if it appeared shady from their body language and deliberate deviation from facts of our arguments to emotional appeal to the nation. We had our share of the attack in parliament. One MP, Honourable K.T. Hammond, now Minister for Trade in the Republic, described CSOs as ignorant people struggling to appreciate that the oil industry is technical. However, he made no technical presentation on the floor of parliament to defend his support for the transaction and at least attempt to debunk the specific issues raised by CSOs. I must acknowledge that parliament made a significant intervention. Despite approving a $1.1 billion cap for GNPC to renegotiate the transaction, which CSOs argued could not be worth more than $300 million, I commend some members, particularly the majority leader Honourable Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and the then minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, for making crucial interventions to reject the Minister of Energy’s request for a blank cheque to borrow about $1.65 billion for GNPC in his memo (Fig. 1). Instead, they insisted that the records of proceedings should reflect that the Minister would return to parliament with a negotiated price informed by a genuinely independent valuation. In addition, parliament demanded that the ensuing loan agreement be resubmitted for approval. Fig 1: Excerpts of Energy Minster’s Memo to Cabinet and Parliament The demands of parliament extended the advocacy window for CSOs to defend the interest of the state, mindful of the fact that the “borrowing hands” were ready for the parliamentary approval. The most surprising part of the entire advocacy was the role some media houses and personalities played in pushing the transaction. They described CSOs as “anti-Ghana CSOs”. They infiltrated meetings of CSOs and cunningly spliced the voices of CSOs leaders to blackmail the advocacy. Thankfully, the resilience of the CSO group and activists attracted the knowledge of Lukoil, a 38% interest holder in the pecan field, who were not informed of the transaction. Lukoil threw in the wrench seeking to be engaged in accordance with good practice and the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) covering the Pecan Field partnership. This singular act would occasion significant disagreements and back and forth, bolstering the advocacy for transparency on the transaction until it became untenable for government to proceed. Interestingly, after 18 months, Aker Energy has written to relinquish its interest in the AGM block to Ghana for free. This reinforces CSOs position that the Nyankom discovery announced without effort to test the well was speculative and potentially non-commercial in ultra-deep waters. GNPC could not have been betting on the interest of Ghana. After several delays and an inability to develop the pecan field, which coincided with regulatory constipation, the ministry of Energy is now demanding that Aker presents its Plan of development (PoD) for the Pecan field by April 15. This is after ten extensions have been granted to the company for various excuses. It is now clear that CSOs were not anti-Ghana. On the contrary, we looked out for the right thing to be done in the interest of the country. If Ghana had borrowed $1.3 billion, 43% of what the country needs from the IMF for GNPC, the fiscal situation would have been far worse than it is today. Sadly, the situation appears to provide no lessons for the political class as a new scramble to own the relinquished interest unfolds. As a result, the CSOs have a new task of ensuring that a transparent process results in the reassignment of the interest. Long live advocates and activists who, against the odds, fight for the national interest.   Benjamin Boakye Executive Director Africa Centre for Energy Policy  

Cutting Oil And Gas Production Is “Not Healthy”- Shell CEO

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Shell Plc’s new CEO Wael Sawan has said cutting oil and gas output would be bad for consumers, echoing a pivot by other major producers toward fossil fuels and energy security. “I am of a firm view that the world will need oil and gas for a long time to come,” Wael Sawan said in an interview with Times Radio on Friday. “As such, cutting oil and gas production is not healthy.” Europe’s largest energy majors are increasingly echoing the strategies of their less climate-minded American peers and leaning into the oil and gas businesses that drove record profits last year and payouts to their shareholders. BP Plc, Shell’s closest peer, said last month that it would slow the planned decline in its oil and gas production to guarantee the reliability of energy supply following the disruption caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The company’s shareholders applauded the news by sending BP’s shares up about 17% since the announcement. The renewed emphasis on fossil fuels follows a year of high and volatile prices after Russia’s invasion disrupted gas supplies and the recovery of economies from the Covid-19 pandemic drove demand for oil. “We’ve seen of course through 2022 the fragility of the energy system,” Sawan said. “To see prices start to skyrocket, that’s not healthy for anyone, particularly consumers.” But at the same time, CO2 emissions rose to a record last year, meaning the world will need to move even faster if it wants to achieve its climate targets and avoid the worst impacts of global warming. To do that would require a steep cut in demand for oil and eventually gas as well. Under Sawan’s predecessor, Ben van Beurden, Shell had a target to reduce oil production by 1% to 2% per year, a pace that it’s more than achieved. Much of those declines are attributed to a reconfiguring of Shell’s production portfolio to shed lower-margin assets. That approach will continue under Sawan, who’s committed to boosting value for shareholders. “We focus on value over volume,” Sawan said. “So it’s not how many barrels we’re producing, but the margin that we extract from the barrels we produce.” Sawan said the company remains committed to a strategy to invest in both oil and gas as well as low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies.   Source: Worldoil.com

Nigeria: Blast At Illegal Refinery Kills 12 People In Rivers Community

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Nigeria: Blast At Illegal Refinery Kills 12 People In Rivers Community
An explosion that occurred at Rumuekpe in Emeoha Local Government Area of Rivers in the Republic of Nigeria on Friday morning has reportedly left 12 people, including women and children dead. According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the incident occurred at about 2 a.m. at a crude oil tapping point. It said the Public Relations Officer in Rivers, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident in Port Harcourt, said, however, that the casualty figure had not yet been ascertained. ”I have called the DPO and he said he would go around with his patrol team and get back to me. Just wait and let me get the details,” she said. It was gathered that the explosion occurred as a bus loaded with some siphoned crude went up in flames as it was leaving the spot for an illegal refinery in the area. Fyneface Dumnamene, executive director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, said a spark from the exhaust pipe of a bus loaded with gallons of crude oil ignited the explosion as the driver attempted to depart. “Everybody in about five vehicles there was all burnt,” Dumnamene told The Associated Press (AP). Illegal refineries are a lucrative business in Nigeria, one of Africa’s top oil producers. They are more rampant in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, where most of the nation’s oil facilities are located.   Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: GRIDCo Participates In International Day For Women And Girls In Science Programme

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Ghana: GRIDCo Participates In International Day For Women And Girls In Science Programme
Female Engineers working with Ghana’s power transmission company, GRIDCo, have commemorated the 2023 edition of the International Day for Women and Girls in Science (IDWIGS). The engineers interacted with girls in Junior High Schools in Tema and encouraged them to consider choosing studies in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The programme was organised by the Science Education Unit (National STEM Centre) of the Ghana Education Service in collaboration with UNESCO. The event was under the theme; ‘Innovate, Demonstrate, Elevate, Advance (I.D.E.A.) – Bringing communities forward for sustainable and equitable development.’ President of GRIDCo Ladies Association (GRIDLASS), Azara Amadu who led the delegation from GRIDCo, commended the organisers for giving GRIDCo the opportunity to participate in such an important mentorship programme. She urged the young girls to take their studies seriously. Other members of the delegation took turns to motivate the youngsters to take up STEM courses. In a brief presentation, Senior Electrical Engineer, Sheila Bortey-Kharis elaborated on GRIDCo’s role in the electricity value chain and explained that GRIDCo’s operations support clean energy, which is in line with SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy). She concluded by encouraging young girls to pick up challenging tasks and not limit their abilities, since they have the capacity to accomplish all complicated tasks. A Principal Electrical Engineer, Pearl Elikem Obuo encouraged the pupils to develop an interest in pursuing engineering courses. Importantly, she urged them to work hard, and be observant and curious. “Engineering is not difficult, as perceived by many. As a career, engineering is now flexible, allowing women to practice while maintaining a balanced social life”, Alberta Mukaronda, Supervising Technician Engineer said. “Many efforts are being made to increase female participation in engineering and the sciences. I motivate you, young girls to be the change that society expects, by getting involved in the process”, Harriet Owusu–Banie, Senior Electrical Engineer noted. The female Engineers pledged their availability in mentoring the girls in the field of engineering. Doreen Ampadu, Electrical Engineer particularly volunteered to be a personal mentor to the girls. Other members of the delegation were, Mrs. Naa Borteley, Principal Administrative Officer, Corporate Services Branch and Mrs. Ruth Abanga, Administrative Officer, Corporate Communications. The Chairperson for the event, Mrs. Christiana Ablakwa and Mrs. Bernice Ofori, Director of Education for Tema Metro ended the programme, by urging the girls to develop an interest in Mathematics and Science and also take their studies seriously. IDWIGS 2023 is in alignment with four Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), namely; 6 – clean water and sanitation; 7 – affordable and clean energy; 9 – industry, innovation and infrastructure, and 11 – sustainable cities and communities.   Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Colombia: Two Dead, Over 80 Kidnapped After Protesters Raid Colombian Oil Field

Inusah Musah
-
0
Colombia: Two Dead, Over 80 Kidnapped After Protesters Raid Colombian Oil Field
Colombians protesting the poor state of roads took more than 80 police officers and oil workers hostage after raiding an oil field owned by a unit of China’s Sinochem Group, according to local media reports. A policeman and a civilian are dead. Social media videos show how the unarmed police were placed in a truck Thursday and taken away. Clashes between communities and the police began after a group broke into the oil field owned by Emerald Energy, a subsidiary of Sinochem. They set installations on fire to protest a lack of road repairs that the government and Emerald had allegedly promised more than a year ago, according to Caracol Noticias.  The oil field is in the Amazonian province of Caqueta in southern Colombia. Colombia’s oil industry has a history of violence from rebel groups and resistance from local communities, which makes it even harder for the country to reverse declining production of oil, a key source of export revenue. President Gustavo Petro said Friday on Twitter that Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez will lead efforts to stop the violence from San Jose del Caguan. In separate tweets, he asked the Red Cross to help attend to those taken hostage and blamed the violence on “groups that want to destroy this government and plunge Colombia into war.” Sinochem didn’t reply to several requests for comment. The Colombian Oil and Gas Association, known as ACP, said in a statement it condemns the acts of violence in the Capella A field, which is part of the Ombu block, adding that it has suffered from blockages in the past 40 days.    Source: Worldoil.com

CNOOC Makes Major Oil Discovery Offshore China

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has discovered an oilfield in the Bohai Sea that contains one hundred million tons of reserves. Bozhong 26-6 oilfield is in the south of Bohai Sea, with an average water depth of 22 m. The main oil-bearing play is Archean buried hill and the oil property is light crude. The discovery well BZ26-6-2 was drilled and completed at a depth of 4,480 me, which encountered a total of 321.3 meters oil pay zones. The well was tested to produce an average of approximately 2,040 barrels of crude oil and 11.45 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Mr. Xu Changgui, Deputy Chief Exploration Engineer of the Company, said, “Bozhong 26-6 oilfield is the third oilfield discovery with hundred million tons of reserves in southern Bohai Sea after Kenli 6-1 and Kenli 10-2. It is identified as the largest metamorphic buried hill oilfield in China. The discovery demonstrates the broad prospect of exploration for subtle buried hills in the Bohai Sea, providing important guidance for exploration in similar basins.” Mr. Zhou Xinhuai, CEO of the Company, said, “Bohai Sea has been one of the targeted areas of exploration for the Company. We will keep looking for mid-to-large sized oil and gas fields and continue to discover new momentum for offshore oil and gas developments, helping to fortify the resource foundation for the high-quality and sustainable development of the Company.”   Source: Worldoil.com

Ghana: Avoid Placing LPG Cylinders Near Naked Fire — NPA Urges Public

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Ghana: Avoid Placing LPG Cylinders Near Naked Fire — NPA Urges Public
Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator, National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has cautioned the public against placing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders near naked fire or inflammable liquid. The Authority said such act could cause fire outbreaks which would result in loss of lives and properties. Speaking during an LPG awareness and sensitization campaign durbar at the Tamale Central Business District main lorry station on Thursday, the Consumer Services Manager of NPA, Mrs. Eunice Budu Nyarko, explained that it was important for consumers of petroleum products such as LPG to be conscious of their safety. The exercise was undertaken by the Corporate Affairs and Gas directorates of the NPA in collaboration with Lyme Haus. The team had similar engagements with traders, market women, drivers and students in Savelugu, Gushegu and Kumbungu, all in the Northern Region. Notable places visited include the Gushegu Nursing and Midwifery Training College and the Light House Church, Savelugu. The exercise begun in the Upper East and North East Regions. The team sensitized the public on the mandate of the Authority, responsibilities of consumers in handling and usage of petroleum products and what constitutes best practices for operators of filling stations in the downstream petroleum industry, among others. Mrs. Nyarko underscored the need for users of petroleum products to adhere to all safety protocols because the flouting of laid down regulations has the potential of igniting fire outbreaks at home and at work places. Some of the safety protocols, she said, include putting off the regulator when the cylinder is not in use, ensuring adequate ventilation for all cylinders and using the same regulators with that of the cylinder valve among others. For his part, the Communications Manager of NPA, Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Kudus, who welcomed the people on behalf of the NPA Chief Executive, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, said LPG was most convenient, safe and fast compared to charcoal and firewood. Besides, he said, using LPG would save the people from the health hazards associates with smoke and heat emanating from wood fuel. In his submission, the Northern Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire and Rescue Service, ADOII Hudu Baba, stressed the need for users of LPG to observe the safety rules to prevent accidents and resultant injuries and loss of lives. He particularly asked the people to ensure that regulators are well fitted, check for leakages in their hoses and avoid turning on gas regulators before lighting the match.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: Russian Oil Giant Plans To Leave Ghana

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Ghana: Russian Oil Giant Plans To Leave Ghana
Barely two years when US oil and gas supermajor, ExxonMobil, relinquished its 80 per cent stake in the Deepwater Cape Three Point oil block offshore the Republic of Ghana and departed, another oil and gas giant, Lukoil, is on its way out of the West African nation. According to a report by Reuters on Monday, which was confirmed by sources in Ghana’s petroleum industry, Lukoil is in direct talks with Indian companies to sell its 38 per cent stake in the Pecan field, where the Norwegian energy firm, Aker Energy, holds a 50 per cent participating interest in the block. Fueltrade, a Ghanaian firm, also has two per cent in the Pecan field while Ghana National Petroleum Corporation holds the remaining 10 per cent. Seven successful exploration wells and eight appraisal wells on the block have proved a significant resource base as well as offering a high upside, Aker Energy says. However, the company has been wary of the involvement of Lukoil as a partner in the block due to the Western sanctions on Russia and has said it would wait to see the issue resolved until it files a field development plan. Aker Energy has completed FEED and prepared a revised Plan of Development for the Deepwater Tano/Cape Three Points block, Aker said in August 2022. Aker said in February that the filing of the development plan “has been delayed due to the uncertainties and risks caused by the war in Ukraine and Lukoil Overseas Ghana Tano Ltd’s 38 per cent interest in the licence, as well as supply chain disruptions and inflation.” The current deadline for submitting the plan has been extended to April 2023. Lukoil is directly talking with Indian companies about potentially selling its stake in the Pecan field development because banks do not want to get involved due to the sanctions against Russia, according to Reuters’ sources. During an Indian energy event earlier last month, Lukoil representatives and Indian firms, including ONGC Videsh, the foreign investment arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), discussed a potential deal, the sources said.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Small Nuclear Reactors Get Boost As Western Cities Vote ‘Yes’

Inusah Musah
-
0
Small Nuclear Reactors Get Boost As Western Cities Vote ‘Yes’
A consortium of cities in four western U.S. states have voted in favor of moving forward with a plan to build a demonstration small modular reactor (SMR) power plant in Idaho, which if successful, could lead to a six-reactor project coming online by 2030 and providing carbon free power. The Tuesday vote by the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) consortium saw the plan approved nearly unanimously, in a 26-27 vote, lending a significant amount of impetus to the idea of SMR carbon free power in the United States. Cities in Utah, Idaho, New Mexico and Nevada voted in favor of the plan, Reuters reports. The company behind the project, NuScale Power Corp, saw its hopes for a favorable vote slimmed in January, when it announced that the original proposed costs of the project had skyrocketed from $58 per megawatt hour to $89 per megawatt hour. That price shock came after the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officially certified the design for the country’s first SMR by NuScale. A statement from the U.S. Department of Energy at the same time noted that the newly approved design “equips the nation with a new clean power source to help drive down” greenhouse gas emissions. And in a recent interview with The Washington Post, U.S. climate envoy John F. Kerry suggested that without SMR technology, it will be impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid catastrophic fallout from climate change. If the demonstration is successful, NuScale plans to build six reactors with a capacity of 462 megawatts of carbon free power by 2030. According to the Sustainable Energy in America 2023 Fact book, 41% of U.S. electricity in 2022 came from zero-carbon sources, including nuclear plants, hydroelectric dams, solar and wind. While solar and wind prices have continued to plummet, advanced nuclear options have risen.      Source:Oilprice.com

Uganda: Residents Of West Nile Region Want New UETCL CEO To Give Them Electricity

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Uganda: Residents Of West Nile Region Want New UETCL CEO To Give Them Electricity
Residents of the West Nile Region in Uganda have called on the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) to prioritise the connection of electricity to the region to end their frustrations. Mr. Joshua Karamagi was appointed to replace George Rwabajungu who resigned in August 2022. He officially assumed post on Tuesday, 28th February 2023. But even before he settled down, residents of the West Nile Region took to the Twitter page of UETCL to express their frustrations about the lack of electricity in the area and reminded the new CEO about the promise of the sector minister to ensure that the region is connected to the national grid in 2023. West Nile Region has a total population of about 3.2 million people. Below are some of the posts on Twitter:       Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: PURC, GIMPA Set Up Centre Of Excellence In Public Utility Regulation

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Ghana: PURC, GIMPA Set Up Centre Of Excellence In Public Utility Regulation
Ghana’s Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), in collaboration with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), has set up the Centre of Excellence in Public Utility Regulation to build capacity and expertise in regulation and governance for the electricity, water, natural gas sectors and other public utility sectors. The Centre will deliver programmes leading to the award of certificates in diverse courses related to regulation and the management of electricity, water and natural gas sectors. It will further engage in cutting-edge research for investment and policy decision-making in the sectors of interest. The Centre will open to the general public, and it hopes to be the leading Centre for research and capacity building in utility regulation in Africa and beyond. Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who inaugurated the Centre on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, noted that the establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Public Utility Regulation (CEPUR) was both timely and relevant. He said it is timely because emerging dynamics in the energy transition and energy security concerns require a competent and skillful workforce that is ready to help position Ghana and Africa to secure sustainable outcomes for future generations. He added that it is also relevant because in most cases, Africa has become the consumer of research findings and emerging ideas led and written by researchers who may not be experienced in the socio-political landscape of the continent. According to the Minister, the Energy Ministry has taken the lead in developing and implementing a road map for the energy transition in Ghana.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Energy speaking at the inauguration of the Centre.
“Given the pedigree of GIMPA and the quality of its faculty members, I expect that the Center will become a thought leader in developing innovative and breakthrough research on utility regulation across the continent and beyond,” he said. The Rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, GIMPA, Prof Samuel Kwaku Bonsu said GIMPA was very proud of the initiative as it would enrich the intellectual environment for utility regulation in Ghana and across the globe. He assured the general public that GIMPA would do its best to ensure that the Centre becomes the African leader on all matters related to utility regulation. He commended the PURC leadership for working with GIMPA to establish the Centre. Meanwhile, the Commission used the occasion to also launch the 2021 Ghana Utilities Performance Index (GUPI) Report. The GUPI is an aggregate performance index computed to assess the performance of Ghana’s electricity and water utilities across their operational areas and regions. The Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr Ishmael Ackah, who launched the Report, noted that the results of the 2021 Ghana Utilities Performance Index showed that utilities assessed exhibited varied levels of performance across the different indicators and along regional lines. “For the electricity sector, it was observed that regions that achieved the highest levels of performance had implemented and undertaken revenue mobilisation drives, high fault maintenance regimes, and were cost efficient. “For the water sector, high-performing operational areas witnessed high water quality levels, cost efficiency, and high consumer responsiveness,” Dr Ackah said. According to him, GUPI has advantages, saying it would help utility service providers to decide the direction of their investments towards improving service delivery, as well as enable regulators to identify areas of focus for future auditing and monitoring activities towards enhancing the performance of the utilities.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: All OMCs Will Receive Fuel Under ‘Gold For Oil’ Policy Except Tax Defaulters

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Ghana: All OMCs Will Receive Fuel Under ‘Gold For Oil’ Policy Except Tax Defaulters
The Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs) in the Republic of Ghana says all oil marketing companies in the West African nation will be given a portion of fuel consignment from the government’s ‘Gold for Oil’ programme except OMCs who owe taxes due to the state. Last week, the CEO of NPA, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, at a press conference, said only OMCs with more than 45 retail outlets would receive fuel from fuel imported under the gold for oil programme. However, addressing a press conference in Accra, the Industry Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Duah clarified that what the NPA Boss said was just one of the criteria. He said all oil marketing companies would receive fuel from the programme except OMCs who owe taxes to the state. The first consignment of fuel under the gold for oil programme was brought into the country in January. Then on 18th and 19th February 2023, 40,000 metric tons of diesel and 35,000 metric tons of petrol also arrived. Touching on the second consignment, Mr Agyemang-Duah explained that per the criteria for distribution of the products, OMCs with more than 45 retail outlets were to receive the products first because the government wants Ghanaians to feel the impact of any fall in fuel prices. Mr Agyeman-Duah said the next consignment of products would be distributed to other OMCs to ensure some fairness so that there would be no discrimination. Mr Agyemang-Duah, who welcomed the government’s gold for oil programme, said although the OMCs would be getting only 10 per cent of fuel supplies from the programme, the programme is helping to minimise their liabilities. He also dismissed assertions that the implementation of the government’s gold for oil programme is intended to kick smaller OMCs out of business.    

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: TOR IMC Chairman Dead

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
Ghana: TOR IMC Chairman Dead
Ghana has lost one of its fine-brained power systems engineers, Ing Norbert Cormla-Djamposu Anku, energynewsafrica.com can confirm. Sources close to the family said he passed away overseas where he was receiving medical treatment. Ing Norbert Anku worked with Volta River Authority (VRA) and later moved to GRIDCo following the unbundling of the West African nation’s power sector. After leaving GRIDCo, he went into the private sector and left after a few years. In June 2021, Ing Anku was appointed as the chairman of the three-member Interim Management Committee (IMC) to oversee the operations of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) after the dismissal of the Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director of the facility. The Committee left in 2022 after a new Managing Director was appointed.   Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: Former GCMCL MD Apologises To President Akufo-Addo

Michael Creg Afful
-
0
The immediate past Managing Director of Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company, Madam Frances Essiam, has apologised to President Nana Akufo-Addo over the use of harsh words at him. Frances Essiam resigned from her post last Friday after accusing Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, of interference in her role as the Managing Director of the company. Following her resignation, she granted interviews with some radio and TV stations where she expressed concerns about the conduct of President Akufo-Addo’s Secretary, Nana Bediatuo Asante. Frances Essiam resigned on Friday 24th February but a letter from the Presidency signed by Nana Bediatuo Asante on 21st February 2023, also announced the appointment of Madam Genevieve Sackey, making it look as if Frances Essiam was sacked before her resignation. This did not settle well with Madam Frances Essiam. In an interview with Accra-based UTV, Frances Essiam was asked by the host if she would accept any appointment from President Akufo-Addo if she was offered one. Madam Frances Essiam responded negatively. “I’m a woman of substance. I don’t need any appointment from Nana Akufo-Addo. Loyalty, which is not respected, is not worth following and a party and nation that doesn’t reward its heroes and heroines is not worth dying for,” she said. Energynewsafrica.com understands that President Akufo-Addo sent some eminent personalities to meet Madam Frances Essiam after her resignation last Friday. In a statement released Monday, Madam Frances Essiam said: “Your Excellency, I have reflected on the incidents following my permanent resignation as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited. Concerning your esteemed personality and ‘Office’ as The President and Primus Inter Pa-res of The Republic of Ghana and an elderly citizen, I render my sincere apologies to you. “Your Excellency, I remain a committed member of The New Patriotic Party. Accept my highest assurance and warm regards. I wish the Government the best in all its endeavours.”  
1...286287288...612Page 287 of 612