Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: NPA Engages Petroleum Consumers In Upper East
Consumers of petroleum products in the Republic of Ghana have been encouraged to notify the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) of bad experiences they encounter at the various fuel refilling stations.
The Head of Consumer Services at the NPA, Eunice Budu Nyarko, gave the encouragement in Navrongo where she led a team from the NPA to sensitise commercial drivers on the safe use of petroleum products, as well as increase awareness of consumers on their rights and responsibilities.
According to her, this would enable the Authority to conduct thorough investigations into the matter and punish anyone found culpable.
“Issues of suspected adulteration and suspected cheating at the filling stations should be brought to the attention of the authority on time to conduct investigations quickly into it,” she stressed.
She further advised motorists to buy fuel from functional filling stations across the country, stressing that as long as it is in operation, it is presumed it has been monitored and the quality of the product is guaranteed.
The team also highlighted the activities of the Authority, which include its mandate, objectives and responsibilities to the consuming public, hazards involved in the handling and usage of petroleum products and what constitutes best practices for operators of filling stations in the downstream petroleum industry, among others.
The Upper East Regional Manager of the NPA, Osman Mahama, for his part, encouraged consumers to call on him anytime they had any petroleum-related issues in the region.
The team also visited commercial drivers and market women in Paga, Sandema and its environs as well as the Bolgatanga township.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Civil Society Group, SERAP, Sues Buhari Over ‘Missing N11trn Electricity Fund’
A group calling itself Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Nigeria has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari “over his failure to probe allegations that over 11 trillion Naira (US$26,477,000,000) meant to provide regular electricity supply since 1999 may have been stolen, mismanaged or diverted into private pockets.”
Despite huge investments into the West African nation’s power sector over the years, there appears to be no improvement yet as the country’s grid has reportedly collapsed, at least, three times in five months, and 130 times in seven years, plunging the nation into darkness on many occasions.
According to the World Bank, epileptic power supply costs businesses in Nigeria about $29 billion yearly.
In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1119/2022 filed last week at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Buhari to investigate how over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply has been allegedly squandered by governments since 1999.”
The group is also seeking “an order of mandamus to compel President Buhari to ensure the prosecution of anyone suspected to be responsible for the missing electricity fund, as appropriate, and to ensure the tracing and full recovery of any missing public funds.”
“It is in the public interest to ensure justice and accountability for alleged corruption and mismanagement in the electricity sector, which has failed governments to solve Nigeria’s perennial power problem,” it argued.
According to SERAP, “The staggering amounts of public funds alleged to have been stolen over the years in the sector have had catastrophic effects on the lives of millions of Nigerians, akin to crimes against humanity against the Nigerian people.
“The failure to trace, find and recover the missing electricity fund is antithetical to the public interest, the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and the country’s international obligations.”
They further argue that “Nigerians have, for far too long, been denied justice and the opportunity to get to the bottom of why they continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector–staying in darkness but still made to pay crazy electricity bills.”
They are of the view that “investigating the allegations of the missing N11 trillion electricity funds, prosecuting suspected perpetrators and recovering any missing public funds would end a culture of impunity. It would also address the persistent collapse of the electricity grid, and improve access to and affordability of electricity in the country.
“Corruption in the electricity sector and the lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to support the operations of DISCOS have resulted in regular blackouts, electricity grid collapse, and unlawful hike in electricity tariffs.”
SERAP is also seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Buhari to refer to the International Criminal Court all unimplemented reports of corruption in the electricity sector gathering dust on the shelves, and to arrest and surrender those named in the reports to the court for prosecution.”
Joined in the suit as Respondent is Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice.
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms. Adelanke Aremo read in part: “Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources. These commitments ought to be fully upheld and respected.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: IBEDC Appeals To Customers To Pay Bills, Says Tariffs Are Fixed By NERC.
The Management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc has appealed to its esteemed customers with huge outstanding to pay their bills.
This is to avoid any kind of interruption due to the ongoing mass disconnection exercise.
A statement signed by the Chief Operating Officer of the Company (COO), Engr John Ayodele said IBEDC is embarking on a mass disconnection exercise because of payment apathy by customers, which is adversely affecting quality service delivery.
“We are retooling our revenue drive strategy to ensure that the monies that have been left uncollected through huge debts, non-payment of bills, underpayment of bills, meter bye-passing, use of illicit meters and energy theft are raked in to enable us to meet our obligations to the customers and the market operators.
“As we all know, there has been a major drop in the electricity generated across the country that has invariably caused the reduced power supply to our valued customers; this drop in generation from the GENCOs is also traceable to their inability to pay for gas, which is denominated in dollars. “When customers do not pay for electricity consumed, it has a ripple effect, as we cannot service the electricity value chain.”
Ghana: Be Firm In Electricity Bills Collection- Energy Minister Tells NEDCoCOO, however, urged customers with disputed bills to lodge their complaints at the nearest IBEDC office to seek redress or adjustments in cases where the claims are genuine and verifiable. Furthermore, he pleaded with customers to obtain their meters under the Meter Asset Provider Scheme (MAP) to put a stop to disputes over billing. “The meters will record your accurate consumption, so please apply for a pre-paid meter if you are unmetered if your meters are obsolete or faulty; and if you have a new building. Visit any IBEDC office in your location or go online to apply for the meters on msms.ibedc.com or www.ibedc.com,” he said. He also explained that customers who purchase meters under the MAP scheme would get their monies back in due course through energy units. On the issue of tariff rates that have generated arguments in some quarters, Engr Ayodele said only the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has the power to determine what customers should pay for electricity based on their hours of supply. Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ecuador: President Announces 10 % Reduction In Fuel Prices In Attempt To Quell Protests
President of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso has announced a 10 per cent reduction in price of gasoline and gasoil following weeks of demonstrations over soaring food and fuel prices by Ecuadorians.
“I have decided to reduce the price of gasoline by 10 cents per gallon and diesel also by 10 cents per gallon,” he said in a televised address on Sunday, 26 June, 2022.
Indigenous leaders have organized protests that have stopped transport and paralyzed parts of Ecuador for weeks.
The protest leaders have been demanding gasoline price be lowered by 30 cents and diesel price by 35 cents.
However, the reduction announced by the president is far less than what protesters have demanded.
The demonstrations, which began on June 13 and are centered on the capital, Quito, have drawn in an estimated 14,000 protesters.
Clashes between police and demonstrators have left at least six dead and scores injured.
Blocked roads have led to fuel and food shortages in the capital.
The demonstrations have also paralyzed transport and disrupted Ecuador’s vital petroleum industry.
Indigenous groups have demanded a halt to oil and mining projects and demonstrators have entered flower farms and oil fields, with some facilities reporting damage to equipment.
“Oil production is at a critical level. If this situation continues, the country’s oil production will be suspended in less than 48 hours as vandalism, the seizure of oil wells and road closures have prevented the transport of equipment and diesel needed to keep operations going,” the country’s Energy Ministry said in a statement earlier on Sunday.
The ministry earlier said that oil production has fallen by more than half because of road blockades and vandalism linked to the protest.
The public oil sector, private producers of flowers and dairy products, tourism and other businesses have lost about $500 million due to the protests, the Ministry of Production said.
Amid the unrest, lawmakers are debating whether to remove Lasso from office, but have so far failed to garner enough support for his ouster.
On Sunday, parliament debated for over seven hours, with proceedings set to resume on Tuesday.
An impeachment would require 92 out of 137 possible votes. Lawmakers will have a maximum of 72 hours to vote following the end of the debate.
Lasso has already met with leaders of the groups organizing protests, and has announced subsidized fertilizers and debt waivers.
The president on Sunday also lifted a state of emergency that had been imposed in six provinces.
“Everyone considers that gas prices have become the cornerstone of maintaining the conflict and though we as a government are very clear that this factor isn’t the origin of Ecuadorians problems, we must think of the common good and citizens’ peace,” Lasso said.
Ghana: TOR Branch Of UNICOF Reacts To Energy News Africa Story
“The attention of the Senior Workers Union of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has been drawn to a story published by energnewsafrica.com with the headline “Frustrated Napo Washes Hands off Tema Oil Refinery Affairs Due To Interference” alleging that the Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, is in pain and getting frustrated each passing day due to interferences in his role by relatives of the President.
“The story also made wild allegations that Hon. Opoku Prempeh, who is supervising 15 energy sector agencies under his ministry, has allegedly washed off his hands of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) after people close to His Excellency President Akufo-Addo managed to put pressure on him to get the Interim Management Committee (IMC) he constituted after the dismissal of the Managing Director, Francis Boateng, and his deputy, Mr. Ato Morrison, to pack out and brought in their darling boy Mr. Jerry Kofi Hinson, as the new Managing Director of TOR.
“The malicious story written by one Michael Creg Afful also alleged that, the Minister’s effort, through the IMC to weed out bad elements from the nation’s premier refinery, seems to have stepped on toes within the government and executives of senior staff association who are allegedly members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). We want to make it clear that such an association does not exist at TOR let alone having some supposed executives being members of the NDC.
“First of all, we are not in a position to ascertain the veracity of pain and frustration of the Minister of Energy as a result of interference by relatives of the President.
“We are also not able to confirm your allegations to the effect that the Minister who was appointed by the President to oversee various energy companies including Tema Oil Refinery has as story claimed, washed his hands off TOR due to pressure from people close to the President to pack out the IMC and appoint Mr. Jerry Kofi Hinson as Managing Director.
“These allegations are within your control to substantiate when the time comes for that to be required of you.
“We are however aware of the IMC allegations made against certain employees of TOR whose names we deem inappropriate to mention like you have done because of defamation consequences.
“The publisher and his assigns should not underestimate how this falsehood and defamatory statement negatively affects every facet of people lives and the reputation of the Refinery.
“It is important to note that the defunct IMC who were appointed to take charge of the Refinery should have taken time to appreciate the working systems of the Refinery. What your publication does not expressly admit, but which is apparent is that the IMC failed to investigate the allegations and support it with facts and the relevant evidence before putting the said employees before a Disciplinary Hearing. It gives us a cause to worry about how the IMC was in a hurry to undertake witch hunting to enable them stay in power.
“The staff named in your publication were not even given ‘the opportunity to be heard’ first of all before interdicted. This is in clear breach of the first rule of natural justice.
“As if that was not enough the IMC went further to Chair the Disciplinary Hearing Committee which they themselves put in place. A clear breach of the second rule of natural justice which stipulates the fact that ‘ one cannot be a judge in his own cause’
“The IMC having chaired the Disciplinary Hearing Committee come out with facts and recommendations which clearly posited that the workers they interdicted were not culpable in any of the wrong doing that the IMC alleged.
“The important thing is not whether the IMC has left TOR. The important thing is that they made frivolous allegations against workers, interdicted them without ‘given them the opportunity to be heard’, turn round to be a ‘judge in their own cause’ and subsequently exonerated the workers.
“You need to know for a fact that the exonerated workers went through the required TOR internal Disciplinary procedures and were found not guilty by the same IMC but not the Managing Director Mr. Jerry Kofi Hinson.
The facts are; The IMC set up a Disciplinary Hearing Committee, Chaired by the IMC and their own facts and recommendations have exonerated these workers. What this means is that, the IMC’S approach lacks the requisite facts, evidence, merit and to say the least they were finding fault where there was None.
“What is worse, you are now publishing defamatory reports against these innocent workers before and after their exoneration.
What you have succeeded in doing is subjecting the exonerated workers to public ridicule and lowering their status in the eyes of right thinking people. Do not be surprised to find yourself in court charged with defamation in the near future.
“From the foregoing it has become very clear that your publication is diabolical, has no merit and is intended to tarnish the reputation of the Managing Director Mr. Jerry Kofi Hinson.
“For and on behalf of TOR workers.
Bright Adongo
(Chairman – PMSU of UNICOF)
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: ECG Ada District Organises Customer Outreach Programme
The Ada District of the Tema Regional ECG has started a series of community visits and engagements with particular attention to customer service-related activities.
The first of this customer programme was held at the Koluedor Catholic Church at Koluedor, a suburb of Ada on Friday, 17th June 2022.
As part of the event, a mobile office was set up by the District Commercial Unit at the venue where customers within the locality were encouraged to visit with issues they may be facing about ECG services.
Over seventy community members showed up, with some having issues regarding the verification of accounts.
Some asked for the printing of account statements while others needed their faulty meters to be replaced.
Several customers also had billing challenges which were resolved.
Customers whose meters needed to be replaced were issued the necessary support while their meter replacements were handled on the same day.
As part of the programme, the ECG team discussed issues concerning the one-month moratorium which the company gave from 7th June to 6th July 2022 and encouraged that if any customer had problems with their meters, resulting from possible illegal connections, as well as some debt, they should inform the ECG so that they would not be processed for court.
However, should this time elapse, offenders would be prosecuted for the offence of stealing, as well as risk getting their names published in the media.
The ECG team on the field also engaged customers on efficient use of power, how to conserve power and safety with regards to electricity. Some of the participants expressed happiness at the fact that they had had their issues resolved without them having to go to the Ada District Office for such services.
Others encouraged ECG to carry out such services often to make it easier for more customers to benefit from the services provided.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
45% Of UK Drivers Cut Vehicle Journeys As Gasoline Prices Surge
A total of 45 percent of UK adults have cut back on non-essential journeys in a vehicle amid soaring fuel prices, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in its latest survey published on Friday.
As in many other countries, UK gasoline prices have jumped to records this year, with prices setting the biggest daily jump in 17 years in early June.
The average UK gasoline price has been around £1.90 per liter this week, or the equivalent of more than $8.80 per U.S. gallon.
Rallying gasoline prices compound the cost-of-living crisis in the UK, where energy bills jumped in April, gasoline is at record highs, and energy bills are set to surge further this autumn.
According to the ONS, around 9 in 10, or 91 percent, adults continued to report their cost of living had risen over the past month. This compares with 88 percent of adults reporting an increase in their cost of living in the previous survey between the end of May and early June.
The most common reasons given by adults who reported their cost of living had increased continued to be an increase in the price of food shopping (93 percent), gas or electricity bills (86 percent), or the price of fuel (80 percent), the latest survey showed.
Moreover, an increase in gas and electricity bills was the main reason for worry, reported by around half (51 percent) of adults whose cost of living had increased. Around 2 in 10 were most worried about the price of fuel—20 percent in the latest survey period, compared to 15 percent in the previous period.
The price of food was the main reason for worry for 18 percent of respondents in the latest period, up from 13 percent in the previous period, the UK’s statistics office said.
Source:Oilprice.com
Ghana: There Is Enough Fuel In Stock-NPA
Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator, NPA, has assured Ghanaians that there is adequate fuel and hence should not panic.
“We have enough stock, and we have other vessels at anchorage to discharge,” Communications Manager at the NPA, Mohammed Abdul Kudus told energyaewsafrica.com.
This comes on the back of a Bloomberg report that said the West African nation faced a looming fuel shortage as the Central Bank rationed dollars after oil prices surged, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It said the monthly fuel import bill for the country increased to $450 million in May from $250 million in January.
The report said the Central Bank was only offering about $100 million a month at its foreign exchange auctions, and that licensed bulk distributors could no longer plug the shortfall in the black market.
Sharing his view of the report, Senyo Hosi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, confirmed that there are challenges in getting enough dollars.
“Yes, we are having challenges accessing dollars and if that continues, we will not be able to buy fuel. That has been anticipated and we are working with the respective institutions to keep the situation stable,” he said.
Mr Hosi said though the Bank of Ghana (BoG), through a special dispensation, was providing Bulk Oil Distributing Companies (BDCs) dollars, it was not enough.
“The BoG started with giving BDCs 50 per cent of our required dollars. This has been scaled down to about 25 per cent. We had to go to the open market to buy additional forex to supplement it,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Nuclear Power Ghana Builds Capacity Of Team Leaders In Energy Sector
Nuclear Power Ghana has ended a three-day training programme for team leaders from three public institutions in the energy sector in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
The team leaders were trained on organisational development and appreciative leadership so they could become change agents in the energy sector and resource management sector.
The participants were drawn from the Nuclear Power Ghana, Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) and the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC).
They were introduced to a new global leadership model dubbed: ‘Executive Mastery For Organisational Development and Appreciative Leadership (EMODAL)’.
The purpose of the MODEL is to reorient leaders to adopt best practices and indigenous knowledge in managing the organisation and the system in which they operate.
The programme was sponsored by Nuclear Power Ghana and facilitated by the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS).
Speaking to energynewsafrica.com, after the programme, Dr Gabriel Gbiel Benarkuu, an Organisational Development Expert and facilitator for the training, noted that the programme was intended to empower leaders’ practices in appreciating the system and the people they work with.
He told energynewsafrica.com that the participants were thought how to create their ideas and implement top directives with the full participation of their team members to facilitate the achievements of the organisations.
According to Dr Benarkuu, research conducted by the training team revealed that top executives and leaders did not know how to coach people to perform, a situation he said undermined the performance of the organisation.
“Over 70 per cent of the organisations in Ghana are not coaching people to grow and perform so they create a vicious cycle of leadership all year round and that is why this model is appropriate for leaders to begin to rethink so they can respond to realities on the ground,” he said.
The Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), Dr Stephen Yamoah, said the training was the first time of a series of leadership programmes spearheaded by the organisation as the country worked towards constructing and operating its first nuclear power plant by 2030.
He tasked the beneficiaries to fully implement the knowledge they have acquired and drive change in their respective institutions.
A representative of the Nuclear Power Institute, Madam Afua Nettey, said the training had empowered the beneficiaries with the skills to resolve conflicts in the organisation and how to become team players in their various leadership positions.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
A representative of the Nuclear Power Institute, Madam Afua Nettey, said the training had empowered the beneficiaries with the skills to resolve conflicts in the organisation and how to become team players in their various leadership positions.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Ghana: Parliament Orders Withdrawal Of Soldiers Assisting ECG To Install Prepaid Meters In Krobo Area
Ghana’s parliament has directed the Ministers for Defence and Energy to ensure the immediate withdrawal of about 50 soldiers currently in the Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region, assisting staff of ECG to install pre-payment meters.
According to a media report, the Member of Parliament for the area, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, raised the matter on the floor of the house on Friday, June 24, 2022, indicating that the presence of the military men is heightening tensions in the community.
The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, subsequently, issued directives to the Ministers for Energy and Defence on the matter.
“We are also directing that the Minister for Defence withdraws the military attaché in the area for the time being for us to address certain matters, I so direct.”
The soldiers who are from the 49 Field Engineering Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) were deployed because previous attempts by ECG to introduce prepaid meters in the enclave caused a rift between residents and workers of ECG, with a case in the past in which ECG officials were physically assaulted.
But following a recent stakeholder consultation amongst interested parties aimed at finding an amicable solution, an agreement was arrived at to commence the process.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Gambia: Report Of Looming Diesel Shortage Is False -Petroleum Ministry
Gambia’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has refuted assertions in the local media that the West African nation risks facing diesel shortage in the next seven days.
According to the Ministry, the information being circulated on social media platforms is untrue and baseless.
A statement issued by the Ministry said The Gambia is one country that has not experienced any fuel shortages since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in March 2022.
“The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, in collaboration with the Public Utility and Regulatory Authority, the depots (Gam-Petroleum and General Petroleum Services and the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are ensuring that stock levels in the country are managed strategically to avoid shortages.”
To make fuel products affordable, the Ministry said the government continues to forgo its revenues while the importers also agreed to reduce their importer margin by US$20 per metric tonne.
The Ministry assured the citizenry that the government would do everything in its power to ensure that fuel products are available in the country.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Kenya : Switzerland Firm To Install Waste-To-Energy Plant
Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), a waste management technology provider based in Zurich, Switzerland, has announced plans to construct a waste-to-energy plant in Kenya.
The firm is collaborating with the environmental solutions company Sintmond Group to convert municipal waste into electricity and biofuel.
This initiative is in line with the Kenyan government’s plan to deploy the first waste-fuelled power plant in Ruai, 55km from the capital Nairobi.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Waste-to-Power conference held in Nairobi, Chief Executive Officer of Sintmond Group, Richard Gatu, said, “we are ready to help counties manage their waste management with our waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies. Waste contributes to global warming as one of the major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Poor waste management ultimately hinders development.”
In a statement issued by Maureen Njeri, the Director of Environment, Water and Sanitation at the Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS), Kenya generate at least 8 million tonnes of waste annually. 70% of the waste is organic, 20% plastics, 10% paper, 1% medical waste and 2% metal.
According to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), almost half of this waste is generated in urban areas.
The city of Nairobi, for example, produces an average of 2,400 tonnes of waste daily, according to the World Bank. Most of this waste ends up in the Dandora landfill, which has been saturated since 2001.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ugandan Company Produces Ethanol From Cassava As Clean Cooking Alternative
Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry have commended Bukona Agro Processors Ltd, a local investor in Nwoya district, that is processing cassava into fuel.
The MPs were thrilled that the company is producing ethanol from cassava that will mainly be used in cooking, reducing the pressure on forests through charcoal burning and firewood collection.
“I am very happy with this kind of investment as an environmentalist because the future they are saving is invaluable. You look at environmental degradation going on by the use of charcoal and we now have alternative energy; this is something we should support strongly,” Richard Gafabusa (NRM, Bwamba County) said.
Legislators were also pleased to discover that the investor is making bio-stoves and pressure cookers that use ethanol cooking which they said complements government efforts on wealth creation.
The committee visited the company during its oversight visit to projects where the government has made investments under the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC).
The government has since invested Shs11.9 billion (US$3.2m) in Bukona Agro Processors Company representing a 40.5% shareholding.
MPs were however concerned that, despite the demonstrable potential of the project, the factory runs on diesel when the Nwoya district has a power substation with the capacity to run such a factory.
“What are you thinking to support this investment with billions of shillings and there is no power? What is difficult about extending power here to support production?” asked Gafabusa.
Nwoya East County MP Charles Okello appealed to UDC to expeditiously push the government to extend electricity to the factory.
The committee was equally disturbed upon learning that the factory contracted Nwoya farmers to plant cassava but did not buy it. The farmers allegedly abandoned the factory which is currently buying cassava from Kitgum which is kilometres away.
“The failure of the factory to buy cassava caused problems even with our local leaders; the next time Bukona will go back to ask the same people to supply them cassava, they will not trust them,” Okello said.
The committee asked UDC to urgently approach the Operation Wealth Creation to motivate Nwoya farmers with seeds in order to resume large-scale cassava farming and benefit from the factory.
UDC was also tasked to explain their basis for investing in a project that is a starter moreover without a steady source of raw materials amidst high costs of operations.
“We need to know what convinced you to support this project which we heard that it once collapsed in 2019. How did you reassess the project and how did you reach this amount you are investing? Is there any benefit for government?” asked Catherine Lamwaka (NRM, Omoro District).
The Director of Investment at UDC, Andrew Mugerwa, reiterated the corporation’s commitment to ensure the factory is connected to the national power grid. “We were aware there was no electricity but we made a covenant to make a follow-up on electricity and we shall report on this,” Mugerwa said.
He added that UDC’s basis to invest in Bukona Agro-Processing Company was their business plan which he promised to provide to the committee. The committee recommended a feasibility study on the project to save the government from investing in a venture whose financial viability is not assured.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Energy Minister ‘Punches’ IES …Says Assertions Are False
Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has rejected the assertion by the energy think tank, Institute for Energy Security (IES) that he has failed to provide the leadership in finding a strategic partner for the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).
The IES, in a statement published by energynewsafrica.com, claimed Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is being clueless and failing to provide a single strategic option to lift TOR out of its present condition while clamouring for another refinery.
“It is reported that the Minister is uncooperative with TOR’s Management and Board decisions and strategic directions, a situation which would generate another round of leadership failure at the State refinery,” the IES said.
However, reacting to the claims, the Ministry, in a statement, insisted that the country’s Energy Minister is providing strong leadership at TOR.
The Ministry noted that on 11th March 2021, four days after assuming office as Energy Minister, Dr. Prempeh undertook a working visit to TOR to familiarise himself with the situation on the ground.
The Ministry continued that after the dismissal of the Managing Director, Francis Boateng, and his Deputy, Ato Morrison, the Minister constituted a three-member IMC on June 15, 2021, whose terms of reference were to ensure the smooth transfer from the previous directors, undertake technical and human resource audits as well as receive and assess viable partnerships for TOR.
As part of its handing over notes, the IMC made recommendations to the incoming board regarding a strategic partner and sought the necessary approvals from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
The Ministry said in February and March 2022, when a new Managing Director and board took office respectively, they were tasked with a clear mandate to work towards securing a strategic partner for the revamping of the refinery.
“The Minister, subsequently, wrote to request an evaluation of all the processes involving interested parties and submitted same for the attention of an inter-ministerial committee including the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Public Enterprise, State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) and TOR. This was to enable the committee to make the necessary recommendations to the President.
“On 20th May 2022, government approved TOR to begin negotiations with a strategic partner.”
After this, on 10th June 2022, the Minister wrote to the Managing Director of TOR to provide guidelines and advice as the refinery prepares, together with its prospective transactional advisor, to enter into negotiations with a strategic partner,” the Ministry indicated.
Among others, the Ministry said the Minister directed further that TOR’s indebtedness and workers’ pension funds must be included in the negotiations with the strategic partner.
In the said letter, the Minister emphasised that whatever agreement that might be reached between the refinery and the strategic partner was not final until it had been subjected to further scrutiny by the Ministry of Energy and the Office of the President.
The release stated further that it was clear the Minister has demonstrated ‘clear leadership, focus and vision’ in working towards the revamping of TOR, and further asserts that the claim by the IES ‘is borne either out of ignorance of these facts or a deliberate attempt to tarnish the Minister’s image’.
The Ministry further noted that given the weight likely to be accorded the IES’s comments, it was important for the organisation to be circumspect in its public pronouncements and ensure fidelity to facts before going public.
‘The Ministry wishes to assure Ghanaians that Dr Prempeh is resolutely committed to ensuring that TOR is put on a sound footing to support Ghana’s industrialisation drive, and will continue to provide strategic leadership and direction in this regard’ the press release concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com