Step Up And Compete With IPPs - Energy Min Tells VRA

Hon Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Energy and Petroleum has encouraged Board Members of the Volta River Authority (VRA), the nation�s foremost power producer to strive and match up to the challenge posed by the influx of Independent Power Producers into the country. He said VRA should aggressively revise their management practices to ensure efficiency and long term survival in the power generation sector, reminding them to always bear in mind that their days of enjoying monopoly in power generation in the country is no more. Hon Buah noted the 2MW of renewable energy added to the national grid by VRA but was quick to add that they can do more by exploring other sources of renewable energy in order to achieve their 12MW target for 2014 and government�s overall target of 12% reliance on renewable energy. The Energy and Petroleum Minister further said government has identified unreliable supply of gas from the West African Pipeline Project in Nigeria as a major setback which could frustrate investments in power generation sector hence the �aggressive pursuance of the Ghana Gas Infrastructure Project in Atuabo to address the issue of gas supply�. �As we project ahead, we realize that even with the development of the gas resource, we still need to explore more to meet demand that is why government is roping in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as the long term solution�. Hon Armah-Kofi Buah added. The Minister further urged members of the Board to strategize and look beyond their primary responsibility of producing power and start considering cheaper fuel solution, adding that VRA must also work to improve its financial viability to enable them compete with international independent power producers in the country. Mr Lee Ocran, former Minister of Education and newly appointed Chairman of the VRA Board said they acknowledge the lead role required of VRA in attaining government�s 5000MW target by 2016 so will collaborate with management to take prudent measures to ensure the target is met. He further pledged that the Board will put in place strategic measure to ensure that VRA is able to compete and continue to play its leading role in electricity production in the country. Other members of the VRA Board include Ing Krik Koffi CEO of VRA, Stephen Opare a Structural Engineer, Nana Mprah Besemuna a traditional ruler and retired Commissioner of Police, Ludwig Hlodze, Togbe Tepre Hodo IV a Legal Practitioner, Ahmed Salifu a freight forwarder, Alice Osei Okrah and Investment Banker and Alhaji Mahamadu Nantogmah a Legal Practitioner�