Strong laws, poor implementation characterize African resources sector – Research

The Jubilee oil field Countries across resource-rich sub-Saharan Africa are failing to reap the benefits from their wealth of endowments of oil and minerals due to an “implementation gap” between the laws that govern extractive industries and the practices, in reality, new research has stated. An analysis by the Natural Resource Governance Institute of the extractive industries in 28 sub-Saharan African countries reveals that all but two – Botswana and Zambia – are failing to deliver the standards laid down in their laws. Researchers using data from the Resource Governance Index found that in this respect the region performs worse than any other in the world. “If countries in sub-Saharan Africa closed the ‘implementation gap’ and fully implemented their own laws, they could generate greater income from natural resources. They could also better combat the negative human and environmental impacts of extraction,” said Silas Olan’g, Africa Co-Director for the Natural Resource Governance Institute. Africa is abundant in natural resources and is home to 30 per cent of the world’s oil, gas and mineral reserves. More than half the exports of many countries in sub-Saharan Africa come from natural resources and as much as 90 per cent in the most oil-dependent countries. Mineral reserves represent a large share of government revenues across the region and have the potential to become even more important in countries with recent discoveries, such as oil and gas in Tanzania and Uganda, and large reserves of strategic minerals such as cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The biggest implementation challenges faced by resource-rich societies in sub-Saharan Africa are fulfilling the legal requirements to transfer revenues collected from oil, gas and mining to local authorities, and publicly disclosing information on social and environmental impacts. Half of the 28 countries studied do not disclose environmental and social impact assessments, even though this is a legal requirement in many countries. “Trust in government and companies erodes when legal reform is not followed and citizens are left in the dark. Closing the ‘implementation gap’ is in everyone’s interests because ultimately it enables countries to reap the benefits that their mineral wealth should offer,” said Olan’g. But commodity booms and busts have fueled public spending in resource-rich African countries, resulting in budget imbalances and high public debt. Many countries that have a fiscal rule to stabilize public finances failed to comply with it, raising the question of whether the government had established appropriate monitoring mechanisms or the rules were fit for purpose. Sub-Saharan Africa lags behind other parts of the world in governing state-owned mining and oil companies and natural resource funds, which manage billions of dollars of resource revenues in countries like Angola and Gabon. Governments tend not to respect rules for managing assets held in natural resource funds and for disclosing conflicts of interest, particularly where corruption is poorly controlled—a reality in most of the countries surveyed. “Building capacity and allowing space for independent oversight is critical for holding government institutions accountable in resource-rich countries. Official audit bodies and non-state actors like the media play an important role here,” said Olan’g. Supported by the Africa Mining Vision and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, countries in sub-Saharan Africa have widely reformed and modernized laws governing the extractive industries, with more reforms underway across the region. The resulting legal frameworks currently have stronger transparency and accountability rules than most other parts of the world, even though there are shortcomings in implementation. “It is unsurprising but sobering to find that the more recent the reform, the larger the gap in implementation. It serves to illustrate that legal reforms can make headlines but it is the implementation that will ultimately deliver benefits to citizens,” said Olan’g. “If managed well, natural resources offer the potential for driving economic development. Governments in sub-Saharan Africa are well-placed to build on the strong laws they have developed, but this review of the index shows how they now need to turn greater attention to implementation.” Source: myjoyonline.com

Power outages due to unstable power supply from GRIDCo-PDS

The Power Distribution Services has attributed the intermittent outages experienced in its operational areas-Southern Zone of Ghana-to unstable power supply from GRIDCo. Many parts of the country were thrown into darkness with scores of residents in those areas expressing their frustration over the situation. Energynewsafrica.com monitored comments on some social media platforms and here are some of the comments: Elvis writes: Darkness all over Accra. It is either the lights are off or low ‘current’. Timothy from Korle-Bu writes: Serious blackout What is happening! I thought the tie-in had been completed. What a country!!!! Dum since morning. At least, *sor* it small eerr Almost the entire city is in darkness Kwaku from Kumasi writes: Kumasi is off Miskity from Takoradi writes: Sekondi-Takoradi in darkness The light has been going on and off. It happened last night And this night too Still in darkness. In a release, PDS, assured Ghanaians that power would be restored to the affected areas immediately GRIDCo rectifies the situation.

Nigeria: TCN implements power transmission project

The managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Usman Mohammed, has revealed that the company has begun the execution of a $170 million power transmission project called the Abuja Feeding Scheme. Mohammed said TCN targets to build five new transmission substations under this programme, which will be built over a period of 24 months, reports THISDAY He explained that the scheme comprises two 330kV substations and three 132kV substations, and will take care of power supply challenges in the city. “This Abuja transmission scheme is to solve the transmission problem in Abuja at least in the next 20 years. Currently, Abuja has only two 330kV substations and we are putting additional two; it has five 132kV substations, we are adding three,” said Mohammed. He further noted that TCN has continued to expand the national grid with new projects as well as the completion of existing projects. Correcting voltage instability In related news, TCN recently procured three reactors, which have been deployed to Ikot Ekpene, Jos and Apir Transmission Substations for installation. The reactors are to help correct the voltage problem along the 330kV Ikot Ekpene- Ugwuaji-Makurdi- Jos Transmission Line axis. In a statement explained that the company explained that the 330kV line had been exposed to constant voltage instability up to 360kV at the Ikot Ekpene, Makurdi and Ugwaji end of the transmission line route, due mainly to lack of reactors. TCN procured three new reactors that would be installed in the Ikot Ekpene, Jos and Apir Substations and once they are commissioned, the reactors would serve to substantially stabilise high voltage along that transmission line route.

Energy Sector debts to be paid within 5 years – Government

Cabinet is expected to approve an Energy Sector Reform document that per its recommendations will force the country to within 5 years pay its Energy Sector debts.

Head of Delivery Unit at the Office of the Vice President and a member of the Energy Sector Reform Committee Prof Kwaku Appiah-Adu, said the reform will among other things punish officials whose actions will lead to contracts in the sector that affects the country. The reform committee believes the move will help reduce debts in the sector. The energy sector debts which hit about 2.4 billion dollars is one of government’s major challenges as it affects most part of the economy. Although successive governments have defrayed some of the debts, Prof Kwaku Appiah-Adu said: “It’s the rules and regulations that need to be followed and a technocrat or somebody has signed an agreement which really shouldn’t have been signed, because you if look at what we have in place, already we have excess capacity there is no need for us to sign any new agreement, who advised what, were the figures at the time they signed, so all we are saying is that the rules and regulations that guide the signing of such agreements should be looked at vis-à-vis the agreement that has been signed and if anyone has flouted a rule then the laws of the nation have to apply that’s all we are saying we keep it nice and simple then the details will be implemented of course by the law court and any other committees that are put is together to come up with specific recommendations as to what penalties that will be meted out.”

Arker Energy sensitises oil and gas suppliers on procurement processes

Arker Energy, operators of the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points Block, in collaboration with stakeholders, at the weekend sensitised more than 500 suppliers in the oil and gas industry on the company’s procurement processes.

Other topics treated were Local Content in Procurement, Compliance in the Arker Energy Procurement Process, Tax, Reimbursement, Cash Refund and Withholding Taxes. Mr Bernard Owusu-Ansah, the Contract Advisor of Arker Energy, entreated the participants, who intend to do business with the company, to abide by all the rules and regulations pertaining to procurement and supplies. He said Arker Energy had transparent and fair procurement processes, which were done electronically to avoid manipulation. Mr Owusu-Ansah said issues such as pricing, local content technology, health and environmental safety were paramount when it came to awarding contracts in Arker Energy. “Once you submit a solid tender you don’t need to know someone in Arker Energy before your contract is approved,” he said. Mr Owusu-Ansah said performance reviews were regularly conducted to ensure the effective execution of contracts. Mr Francis Wajah, an official of the company, who took the participants through Health Safety and Environment in Procurement, said Arker Energy dealt with competent and reliable suppliers as offshore operation was a high-risk project. He said all products and services delivered must meet standards with a good and robust Health Safety and Environment Policy. Mr Edward Owusu-Manu, the Supply Chain Manager, who made a presentation on the history of the company, said established in 2018, Arker Energy was rapidly growing its capabilities and would hire competent people to manage its varied components. He said it conducted business with integrity, respect to culture, dignity and right of individuals everywhere it operated and would comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the country. It has a workforce of 250 out of which 205 are Ghanaians, he said, and hinted that more supplies were needed in Information and Communication Technology, catering and marine logistics. Mr Owusu-Manu said the company was committed to contributing to the enhancement of local industries in Ghana through its supply chain activities. Source:GNA

Mozambique Creates New Oil and Mining Authority

Mozambique’s government approved the creation of a new oil and mining authority, the Inspectorate-General of Mineral Resources and Energy. The new authority was created to guarantee “the permanent and efficient monitoring of activities in compliance with the law,” according to the cabinet’s spokesperson Ana Comoana.

The Inspectorate-General of Mineral Resources and Energy is to have administrative and technical autonomy and focus on five issues: mining inspection, hydrocarbon and fuel, energy, internal audit and rescue.

“We want to prevent illegal extraction, trade and export of oil and mining products,” the spokesperson said.

Over the last couple of years, Mozambique has been focused on hydrocarbon prospecting, following the discovery of large gas and coal reserves.

Senegal: Senelec seeks provision of electrical cables

Senelec solicits closed bids from eligible and qualifying bidders for the provision of electrical cables and accessories in a single lot. Eligible and interested bidders may obtain information on the DAO Direct Purchase or acquire the Physics DAO at Senelec, at 28 Rue Vincens – 4th Floor, from the Secretariat of the Procurement Department, Babacar Mbaye,) and review the bidding documents at the address below on business days and business hours from Monday to Friday from 07:30 to 16:30. Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Interested bidders may obtain a complete tender documents in French by making a written request to the address below for a non-refundable payment of 50,000 FCFA ($). Qualification requirements are: Financial capacity The bidder must provide certified proof that they meet the following requirements: Have an average annual turnover for fiscal years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 in the sale of supplies of the same nature as those for which he bids, equal to 4350, 000 000 FCFA; Bidder must attach to their offer the financial statements certified by an expert or firm approved by ONECCA or equivalent body of 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Technical capacity and experience The bidder must meet the following technical capability requirements with supporting documentation: Must prove, with supporting documentation, that during the last five years (2014,2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) it has been satisfactory to have at least two contracts for the supply of a quantity greater than or equal to that of the market with signed good performances of the customer (s). Tenders must be submitted to the following address: Senelec, Tenders Commission located at 19 Rue Abdou Karim BourgiX Wagane Diouf on the 2nd Floor of the Tounkara Building by Wednesday 22 May 2019 at 9:30 am local time. Tel: (221) 33 839 30 17 Subscribe to tenders service For more detailed tenders you can subscribe to our Tender Subscription Service. By partnering with a global information provider, ESI Africa can offer a database of opportunities for the energy industry direct to your inbox. An annual subscription gives access to tender notices across the African continent for all energy sectors.

U.S. To Slap Even More Sanctions On Venezuela To Kill Off Oil Exports To Cuba

Just a week after the United States levied additional sanctions on Venezuela in an effort to curb its oil exports, the US has again hit shipping companies doing business with Venezuela with even more sanctions aimed at further plugging the holes that allow Venezuela to export crude oil to Cuba. This go around, the US targeted four shipping companies and nine vessels in its latest attempt to cut off the revenue stream of what the US Department of the Treasury refers to as “the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro”. Those entities include Jennifer Navigation Ltd (Liberia), Lime Shipping Corp (Liberia), Large Range Ltd (Liberia), and PB Tankers S.P.A. (Italy). “As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these entities, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by the designated entities, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked “ the Treasury statement read in part. The move comes after reports surfaced earlier on Friday that Venezuela was still shipping crude oil to ally Cuba in the amount of 1 million barrels just days after the US levied sanctions on Venezuela-to-Cuba oil shipments in what is quickly becoming a weekly Little Dutch Boy event. The close-knit ties between ideological allies Cuba and Venezuela is proving more complicated that earlier sanctions that targeted shipments from Venezuela to the United States and its allies. Officially recognized by the United States as the rightful president of Venezuela, Juan Guaido last month said that he had decreed the suspension of crude oil shipments to Cuba, but Maduro is particularly motivated to ship oil to Cuba under a long-standing barter agreement dating back to the Chavez/Castro days that ships oil to Cuba in exchange for highly skilled labor that Cuba possesses. Venezuela is Cuba’s largest oil supplier, and Cuba one of Venezuela’s few remaining friends. Source: Oilprice.com

General Electric agrees to pay $1.5 billion penalty for allegations related to subprime lending unit

General Electric agreed to pay the Department of Justice a $1.5 billion penalty for alleged accounting misrepresentations stemming from the company’s now defunct subprime mortgage business WMC. GE shares slid lower by 0.6% in midday trading, as the settlement amount was largely expected. The company announced the settlement in principle during the company’s fourth quarter earnings report in January and had set aside $1.5 billion in reserves last year. The Justice Department alleged that GE, through WMC, misrepresented the quality of its subprime loans. “The financial system counts on originators, which are in the best position to know the true condition of their mortgage loans, to make accurate and complete representations about their products. The failure to disclose material deficiencies in those loans contributed to the financial crisis,” Justice Department Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt said in a statement. The potential violations were investigated under the the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA). The law allows federal authorities to pursue civil penalties of violations made by federally insured financial institutions. The final agreement was reached on Friday. “This settlement contains no admission of any allegations and concludes the FIRREA investigation of WMC,” a GE spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. “This is another step in our ongoing efforts to de-risk GE Capital. This agreement represents a significant part of the total legacy exposure associated with WMC and we are pleased to put this matter behind us.”

NEDCo blames blackouts in the Northern sector on obsolete equipment and tampering

The Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) says obsolete equipment and tampering are to blame for the increasing power outages that the northern sector has experienced in recent weeks. “Obsolete equipment will be very capital intensive to replace in one day so we are doing it by piecemeal but the bottom line is cash,” the Communications Manager for NEDCo, Maxwell Kotoka said. According to the company, which services northern Ghana, the non-payment of bills and illegal connections are also draining the company and affecting its ability to serve customers efficiently. The Tamale metropolis has experienced intermittent power outages in recent weeks and NEDCo says the problem in the northern sector goes beyond the general problem of power supply nationwide. Mr. Kotoka also noted the theft of power and other key equipment, like earlier in April, where copper cables on towers belonging to NEDCo in the Berekum municipality of the Bono Region were stolen. “The bottom line is cash and so like we have indicated, if people are not paying for the power they use, if people are stealing the power, then you leave us with no option but to continue with the overage equipment which will not give us optimum performance.” “So it is a matter of everybody getting on board and getting a very live conscience which tells you that stealing from the company is killing the company.” Debt from MDAs NEDCo has in the past complained of crippling financial difficulties because of a debt of GHc 841 million owed it by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). According to the Commercial Manager of NEDCo, Thompson Nagaleb, very little has been done by the government to clear debts dating back to 2013. These struggles informed NEDCo’s earlier request for almost 40 percent hike in distribution charges. The company has proposed a 43 pesewas/kWh rate to enable it to raise enough revenue to meet the cost of production. Source: Citinewsroom.com

Danger: Electric Pole Carrying Transformer at Lakeside, Accra, nears collapse

A resident of Lakeside, a suburb of Legon in the Greater Accra Region, has expressed his frustration about the inability of the Power Distribution Services (PDS) to replace a damaged electric pole which is carrying a transformer in the area. In a Facebook post, the resident said the pole had been damaged for more than two weeks now, but nobody seemed to be concerned about it. The pole has been damaged badly at the feet and it is not clear what caused it. “Don’t wait for people to die before we come and say: “THE INCONVENIENCE IS DEEPLY REGRETTED,”” the post read. Full Post Dear Power Distribution Services (PDS) This is happening right in Accra, Lakeside to be specific within the Legon District. Don’t wait for people to die before we come and say “THE INCONVENIENCE IS DEEPLY REGRETTED” . Don’t wait until the unthinkable happens for officialdom to come and read looooooong speeches and BIG GRAMMAR. It has been like this for well over 2weeks. How much does it cost to replace a wooden pole that carries a transformer? We pay some “ENGINEERS” in the LEGON DISTRICT to work, but this is what we get……… I have done my part for GOD AND COUNTRY. Let the responsible people ACT.

PIAC hailed as shining star of oil producing nations

Dr Steve Manteaw, Chairman of PIAC Ghana’s Public interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has been singled out for praise for its role in safeguarding the country’s oil revenues from official abuse. PIAC has also been applauded for keeping Ghanaians updated on how the government is performing in the management and use of the country’s petroleum revenues through its semi and annual reports. Public finance and governance expert of international repute and technical consultant at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), Andrew Bauer, made the above remarks during a presentation on Revenue Management and Impacts on State-owned Enterprises at the “Reversing the Resource Curse” course organized by the NRGI and the School of Public Policy of the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Bauer encouraged other countries to emulate the PIAC example by putting in place measures to counter revenue management risks and abuses that often undermine their development. “PIAC is really doing well. Other countries must have institutions like this to monitor revenues in their various countries,” Bauer said. Comparing Nigeria with Ghana, he observed that “Nigeria, with its huge oil revenues, faces a much greater resource curse threat. It therefore needs to deal with – and get a hand on – its National Oil Company, and also make sure that the budget is not only well managed, but has adequate accountability safeguards to ensure positive outcomes. He continued: “Ghana, on the other hand, with much smaller revenue may not face the resource curse threat in the short to medium term, but must also try and manage oil revenues with a long term perspective, when oil may become dominant in its economy.” Nigeria is Africa’s largest producer of crude oil. Andrew Bauer, Technical Consultant at the Natural Resources Governance Institute According to NEITI’s 2016 audit, total crude oil production stood at about 660,000 MBBLs, falling from almost 780,000 in 2015, and representing a 15 percent drop. As of 2000, oil and gas exports accounted for more than 98 percent of export earnings, and about 83 percent of federal government revenue, as well as generating more than 14 percent of its GDP. It also provides 95 percent of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65 percent of government budgetary revenues. Such huge revenue flows into the country’s economy makes it imperative to establish clear revenue management rules, aligned with an efficient public finance management framework, and with citizen-led additional oversight arrangements such as PIAC. It is also important for the government to take steps to diversify the nation’s economy from dependence on oil revenue to non-oil revenues, avoid the devastating impacts of market volatilities. From all indications, Ghana seems to have set itself on the right path to avoiding the resource curse trap, having provided a legal framework to govern how oil revenues are generated, managed, and used to support national development. The country’s petroleum Revenue Management Act mandates that 30 percent of petroleum revenues are set aside and invested for the purpose of smoothening government’s expenditure over time, and for providing a heritage for future generations. The remaining 70 percent is to be spent through the national budget, with not less than 70 percent being spent on capital projects and not more than 30 percent on goods and services. But Chairman of PIAC, Dr. Steve Manteaw, says the requirement to spend not less than 70 percent on capital projects has been breached once, in 2017. He also regrets what he describes as “lack of due diligence and supervision” of oil-funded projects, which in his view, accounts largely for the inability of Ghanaians to realize the transformative potential of oil revenues in their lives. “PIAC has consistently placed these issues in the public domain. If the country is to realize the full benefits of its oil, then government will need to act decisively to curb the abuses,” Dr. Manteaw argued. He urged government to take PIAC seriously in order to set the right examples for the world to follow. The efforts to promote transparency and good governance in resource-rich countries has gained significant momentum over the last decade and made substantial progress. At the same time, the degree to which this agenda finds more than rhetorical support from political elites is questionable. It is equally unclear whether civil societies, the media, and parliaments in developing countries are sufficiently well-informed to take full advantage of transparency for more effective oversight. The persistent disconnect between the governance research community and practitioners also hinder upon innovation in specific contexts. In this light, the School of Public Policy at Central European University (SPP) and the Natural Resource Governance Institute [NRGI] designed an intensive course to equip a pool of exceptional individuals from government, civil society, parliaments, media, international development agencies and the private sector, as well as academics, researchers, and analysts with the knowledge and tools necessary to help reverse the “resource curse.” Specifically, the course for the past seven years of its existence examines the political economy of the governance in resource-rich states and explores how it impacts domestic policy debates and practice. The course also offers practical lessons for policy improvement based on both best practices from around the globe and exchanges among participants. Using the Natural Resource Charter as a framework and focusing on rigorous analysis and advanced techniques, the course is designed primarily for individuals who already have solid understanding of the subject matter but are seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills to play prominent roles in specific countries or around the globe. Source: Myjoyonline.com

Protests In Oil-Rich Algeria Continue Even After Bouteflika’s Departure

Protests in Algeria continued on Friday, more than a week after Algeria’s president of 20 years, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, stepped down from the top office, with protesters angered at the interim leadership in the OPEC member and demanding total political change. Following weeks of huge nationwide protests, Algeria’s President of 20 years, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, stepped down last week. Mass protests across Algeria erupted several weeks ago when Bouteflika announced he would run for a fifth term as president. Those protests forced him to rescind that decision, but the momentum against him failed to subside. Instead, it had increased and intended to do so until he steps down entirely. Now Algerians show that they want more changes in the country’s leadership and demanded that interim president, Abdelkader Bensalah, seen as a part of the regime, resign. Algeria’s oil and gas future now looks uncertain amid the political crisis as state-run oil company Sonatrach is once again under scrutiny for alleged corruption and as major international oil companies suspended talks on projects in the country. Oil majors are reeling from the crisis in Algeria that first saw Exxon halt its prospective shale ambitions, and has now spread to major trading houses. Earlier this week, Sonatrach shuttered plans for a trading joint venture just as it was about to choose a partner from among trading giants Vitol, Gunvor, French Total, and Italian Eni. Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Exxon, BP, and Norway’s Equinor had all put the brakes on investment plans for the North African country amid escalating protests. Exxon was about to sign a preliminary deal for a trading joint venture with Sonatrach, and BP and Equinor both have a long-standing presence in the country—both with new investment intentions that were put on hold. Algeria’s oil and gas sector accounts for 85 percent of all of the OPEC country’s exports, according to OPEC, and accounts for 20 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Source: Oilprice.com

Ghana Gas commences supply of gas to VRA

The Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) has commenced the supply of adequate gas to the Volta River Authority (VRA) to curb the current power outages in Country.

This is because the tie- in of its 11-km gas pipeline from Atuabo to the West African Gas Pipeline at the Aboadze power enclave in the Shama districts in the western region is almost complete. The Head of communication at Ghana Gas, Ernest Owusu-Bempeh Bonsu disclosed this at a press conference in Takoradi, to brief the media of the activities of Ghana Gas in connection with the recent power outages in the country. He said the tie-in was about 95 percent complete and they started supplying VRA with 130 million standard cubic feet of gas which can generate about 680 megawatts of power daily for the country. Mr owusu-Bempah stated that Ghana gas had the capacity to produce 405 million standard cubic feets of gas daily stressing, that the gas was currently being supplied based on demand. “We have enough gas to supply, if VRA wants more gas we are ready to supply them with gas”. He explained that it was a major shot down by the company which resulted in the power outages, but noted that with the completion of the tie- in and with the flow of more gas to VRA, the power outages would not happen again. The Head of Communications hinted that Ghana Gas also completed the ENI-Sankofa tie-in and would produce abundant gas of 350 cubic feet for transmission to the Eastern enclave, which would provide gas to the bauxite mining site. He said the company was also ready to provide gas for the execution of the various one District, one Factory Initiative , adding “the interconnection pipelines have taken place and we are ready to push gas to any part of the country to produce electricity for the IDIF. Touching on the achievements of Ghana Gas, Mr Owusu Bempah lauded the indigenisation of the company which he noted turned round the fortunes of the company , stating that soon the company would declare a dividend of GHC20 million to the government. He commended the management of the company for the rapid indigenisation programme, stressing that in some countries it took about 25 years to fully indigenise, but that Ghana used only three years. He said with a prudent management, the company was able to build its own office complex in Accra and employed about 600 people. Mr Joseph Ewoniah, Senior Manager in charge of Communication Relations and CSR, pointed out that Ghana Gas was committed to making the communities in which they operated comfortable and safe as the requisite compensation was paid to individuals and communities affected by the relocation of the Karpowership from Tema to the Naval Base in Takoradi. He said full compensation was paid to 26 people whose crops were destroyed in the process and the first phase of compensation on the 47.8 acres of land was done, while the second phase would be paid before the end of April this year . Source: GNA