Parliament has passed the US$850,000,000 loan agreement with which government intends to raise funding from the China Development Bank to finance the multi-million dollar gas plant in the Western Region.
The deal was passed on Friday afternoon under a heavy cloud of growing tension in the Western region over reports that two key personalities in the Mills government have been scheming to relocate the US$1.2 billion facility from Bonyere in the Jomoro District to Atuabo in the Ellembelle District of the Western region.
Reports say the people of Bonyere have named Deputy Energy Minister, Hon Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah and Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) Boss, Dr. Sipa-Adjah Yankey, as the two key officials scheming to have the facility sited at Atuabo in their rather flood-prone Ellembele District.
The raging tension between indigenes of the two areas over the location of the project is said to have unduly delayed the gas infrastructure, which is to harness local gas in oil fields in the Western region for domestic and commercial use.
In Parliament today, MPs passed the agreement covering the loan for the project plus the relevant resolution on the agreement by a voice vote.
Majority MPs shouted in support of the motion. Minority NPP MPs abstained, with none shouting either in support or against the motion.
Soon after the motion was passed, Minority Leader, Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, explained that his side's decision to abstain was because of problems they had with the processes used in passing the agreement.
He was quick to add that their decision should not be interpreted to mean they were opposed to the project.
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