Despite assurances from the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mahama Ayariga ,that government will not permit the setting up of coal plant in Ghana, a civil society group has expressed dissatisfaction at the promise, calling for a national policy to back it.
The minister who was speaking at forum recently disclosed that government has not issued any license to commence coal plant in the country, even though a company has expressed interest and applied for approval.
He explained that Ghana has ratified the Climate Change Agreement hence can not allow the plant.
But speaking to Citi Business News, the National Coordinator of the group, ‘350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon’, Chibeze Ezekiel was of the view that even though the assurance is encouraging, the minister’s assertion conflicts with the NDC’s manifesto which has promised to construct a 700MW coal plant next year.
According to him, the minster’s assertion may be targeted at a good end, but it will remain a mere rhetoric if it is not rooted in national policy to enforce it.
“Surprisingly, even the NDC manifesto which they launched in September by the president has indicated categorically that they are going to construct a 700MW coal plant in Ekumfi in the Central region and then the minister comes to make an announcement that they will not allow a coal plant in Ghana, so again am not too sure who to believe, the president or the minister,” he said.
Touching on the reason given by the minister to prevent the setting up of the coal plant, Mr. Ezekiel contended that Ghana ratified the Climate Change Agreement sometime back but the ruling government promised to set up the coal plant in 2017.
“I read the Minister’s statement and from what he’s saying that because Ghana has ratified the Climate Change Agreement we cannot go back to establish such a plant. But my worry or my surprise is that the Paris Climate Agreement conversation started not this year, so government was aware about all these discussions about Climate Change issues,” he said.
He stated that it is imperative for government to come out with a clear policy direction to show its commitment to the fight against Climate Change.
“In fact the minister even said that as long as he is a minister he’s not going to sign such a contract. So the question is if the president decides to change him, is he going to bring somebody to come and sign the coal plant,” he asked.
Source: Citifmonline.com
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IDIOOOTTT GO FOR THE SUN IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND IS FOR FREE.YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT THE WIND AND OTHERS TOOO MUCH JOKES.YOU HAVE KNOW IDEA OF WHAT U DOING.
Modern Coal Power Plants are environmentally friendly unlike the old plants that had serious environmental challenges. Ghana is not the only country that has signed that protocol on the environment. Even advance countries such as USA, South korea, Japan, China Germany ,etc are all developing their coal power industry. This is a choice between stampeding your own development and saying no to these soo called protocols. It is interesting to note that even if we develop our coal power plant or not we are equally under threat since the impact is global and not localized when it has to do with the CO2
THE SAME UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION THAT EUROPE SIGNED TOGETHER WITH GHANA PREVENTS THEM FROM SELLING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ABOVE 10PPM, MAKES IT EASY FOR GHANA TO IMPORT DIRTY PETROLEUM PRODUCTS OF ABOVE 5,000PPM. THEY THEY SHOULD SPUR US THIS KIND OF GREED AND INCOMPETENCE.
Please, know that most coal fired plants across the world are obsolete now, don't waste time and money on them even countries that have abundant coal and various plants are dismantling them due to UN regulations on Climate change so it is a no go area,Ghana must seriously start investing on Renewable Energy like Wind Turbines and Solar,start curriculum on these in the educational institutions
It's a govt of too many jokes. Reducing governance to child's play
Man, these guys are confused, cant you see and hear? when 1D1*OTS RULES WHAT DO YOU EXPECT. THEY ARE LOSING AND JUST WANT TO TALK, WITHOUT CROSS CHECKING. NKWA*SEA*SEM NKOAAAA,