President Mahama Switches On First Power From Bui Generating Station

President Mahama says his administration is not only working feverishly to end the current load shedding that is causing discomfort to Ghanaians but also to ensure that Ghana enjoys energy security over the next 20 years. He made the point when he inaugurated the first power from the Bui generating station. The ceremony brings into operation the first of the three units to generate 133 megawatts of power unto the national grid. The full complement of the 400 megawatts Bui Dam will come on stream by the fourth quarter this year. Radio Ghana�s correspondents Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo and Pascaline Adadevor who witnessed the event say the President of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Yaw Kagbrese, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo and the NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia were among the large crowd of people who were at the dam site to be part of the history making event. The crowd who were in jubilant and expectant mood and above all, well behaved confined themselves to the event grounds without straying to the restricted area at the project site. The sod for the commencement of the Bui Dam was cut by President Kufour on the 24th August 2007 at Bui Camp. The CEO of Bui Power Authority (BPA), Jabesh Amissah-Arthur took the gathering through some milestones of the project. The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Gong Jianzhong said the bilateral relation between Ghana and China is a reflection of the long lasting friendship between the two countries. The Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Kofi Armah-Buah talked about efforts to get cheap fuel sources for the country. President Mahama commented on the country�s energy needs, challenges and the way forward. He equally paid tribute to his predecessors for their efforts towards the construction of the Bui Dam as well as those affected by the project. President Mahama later switched on the kintampo sub-station which will serve as the point of integration of the power from the dam onto the national grid. The Kintampo sub-station will in future serve as an inter-connection point for the proposed 330 kilovolts lines from Kumasi to Bolgatanga.