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Oil
blessing depends on good management, people’s participation-
Owusu-Adjapong
Accra, May 29, Ghanadot/GNA - Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong,
Minister Designate for Energy, at his vetting on Thursday,
said only effective management and popular participation of
the Ghanaian citizenry would guarantee the anticipated
benefits ffom the oil find.
He told the Appointments Committee of Parliament, in Accra,
that the oil find could become a blessing only if its
production, revenue, the environment and security issues
were properly managed.
“If we can begin to improve the level of transparency, the
oil find can be a blessing,” he said.
He announced that the Ministry of Energy was working on
polices which would, in the final analysis make Ghanaians
participants rather than observers in the oil business.
The Minister Designate, MP for Akim Swedru, had resigned
last year from his position as Minister of Parliamentary
Affairs and Majority Leader in Parliament for an
unsuccessful attempt to clinch the presidential slot of the
ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the December 2008
general elections.
He underscored enough security measures to protect the
emerging oil industry from undue foreign exploitation by the
big boys.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong, a professional surveyor and lawyer, who
replaces Mr
Kofi Adda, MP for Navrongo, also cautioned the nation not to
neglect the nation’s mainstay of agriculture because of the
oil find.
The Minister Designate, who had also served as Minister of
Transportation and Communication, Technology and Acting
Minister of Transportation, preferred to be endorsed before
he would fully speak on details of issues in Energy
Ministry.
He however, said he would work on energy projects within the
confines of the 2008 Budget during the next seven months
before the nation would go to the polls.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong said the nation must harness all its
energy resources which, he said include hydro, thermal,
wind, and nuclear.
He gave further assurance of challenging Ghanaians, within
government’s financial capabilities for a wider use of solar
energy.
He however said the initial use of solar energy was more
expensive than the present conventional energy sources.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong agreed that the present energy supply was
below demand, but added that the problem was more of waste
and poor power distribution.
He suggested the development of small hydro electric
projects, adding that the nation could produce the needed
capacity of between 4000 to 6000 megawatts within the next
four to six years.
“We now need to look at the expenditure and how long it
would take to overcome these,” he said, stressing more use
of local materials and expertise in energy production to
save cost due to imports.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong described his landmark achievement during
his tenure as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs as effective
time management and improved consensus building in matters
of national concern.
He described the current constitution as “transitional’, yet
“was the best and for us and at least a very useful
constitution for at least four terms.”
He said he had no objection to constitutional amendments,
but added the time was not ripe and any amendments should
not be piecemeal.
The Minister Designate said he was not seeking re-election
into Parliament, and had no further ambition to become
president, but ready to serve the nation.
“I’m comfortable with the role I’ve been assigned to play,”
he said.
GNA
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