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Ghana and Nigeria struck deal
on energy supply
From Kwaku Osei Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, Jan. 29, GNA - Nigeria has agreed to supply 80
megawatts of electricity to Ghana as part of a deal to help
the country to address its current energy crisis.
Additionally, it has accepted to take over the supply of
power to Benin and Togo, to take off the burden on Ghana and
bring some relief to the country.
President John Agyekum Kufuor made the announcement when
answering a question on how Ghana was tackling the energy
problems it was facing, when he presented the country's
implementation report on the African Peer Review
Mechanisation (APRM) recommendations at the Sixth Summit of
the APRM Heads of State and Government Forum.
This was on the sidelines of the Eighth Africa Union's
ordinary session held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Ghana's report received overwhelming commendation by the 25
States that have signed up to the APRM.
President Kufuor said Nigeria through the West Africa Power
Pool, which comes on-stream in February, 2007 would be
increasing its electricity supply to Ghana.
Ghana's energy requirement is put at 2,000 megawatts and its
present total generation mix comes up to 1,200 megawatts, 69
per cent of which is from hydroelectric sources and 30.4 per
cent from fossil fuels.
The Akosombo hydroelectric dam has a generating capacity of
912 megawatts while that of Kpong is 160 megawatts.
Ninety-Nine per cent of the electricity consumption in Ghana
is supplied by the Volta River Authority.
President Kufuor said with the Power Pool Agreement, Ghana,
Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire would put their electricity
generation into a pool so that in the event of a shortfall
in any of the countries, it would fall on it to avoid crisis
situation.
He said the country on its own was also taking some measures
to boost its energy generation and cited plans to construct
the 400-megawatts capacity Bui Dam.
He was expressed the hope that the inauguration of the West
Africa Gas Pipeline Project in March, 2007, would
significantly enhance the operation of the Osagyefo Barge.
President Kufuor said Ghana again was exploring other
alternative sources including solar and bio-diesel.
Meanwhile, the AU's Eighth Ordinary session being attended
by the 53 Heads of State and Government, the high point of
which, would be the election of a new Chairman to take over
from Congolese President Dennis Sassou Nguesso opens on
Monday morning at the Economic Commission for Africa's (ECA)
Conference Centre.
Mr Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nation's Secretary General, is in
the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa to attend.
GNA
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