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Operators of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah which supplies gas to the Atuabo gas plant are expected to shut it down for repairs. The repair work is expected to take place in the first half of 2017 will take 8 to 12 weeks to complete.

Speaking to Onua Business News the executive director of the Integrated Social Development Centre -ISODEC,

Dr. Steve Manteaw says the only contingency plan to ensure regular supply of gas after the shutdown is to get gas from the TEN (Tweneboa Enyera Ntomme) field to Atuabo. However, this will not materialize since the needed infrastructure has not been put in place to make this happen.

Gas from the TEN field is currently being flared. Commenting on his expectations of the new government, he urged the president-elect to merge the ministries of energy and power.

The two ministries, he explained, have symbiotic relationship therefore putting them together will ensure the smooth running of both ministries and also bring down the cost of running government’s business.

Dr, Manteaw says the situation where the current government uses the petroleum revenue to execute hundreds of projects is not the best as it is difficult to track.

He therefore asked the incoming administration to select particular projects that would be financed with petroleum revenue as it promised. He applauded the initiative of the new government to make renewable energy a major player in Ghana’s power mix.

However, he says the proposed introduction of solar parks as spelt out in the NPP’s manifesto should be given a second look.

Instead of establishing solar parks that will demand lots of land resource commitments, he proposed a policy to integrate solar panels into buildings. This will bring dual benefits: using the land for building to address housing challenges and also generate solar power.