A Scottish power producing firm, Aggreko plc, has secured a provisional licence from the Energy Commission to develop a power plant at Esiama, in the Ellembelle District.
The company has already acquired a 27-acre land at Esiama from the traditional authorities, and had signed a Gas Supply Agreement with the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), to supply them gas for production of electrical power in the next 12 months.
Mr. Jason De Carteret, Head of Business Development of Aggreko in charge of Africa, told a stakeholders meeting at Esiama, on Wednesday that the company would initially produce between 40 and 50 megawatts of power, and increase production to over 100MW in the subsequent years.
He indicated that the firm would utilize the excess natural gas resources from the Jubilee Oilfield through the Atuabo gas processing plant, to enable the country derive maximum benefits by increasing the overall power capacity of the country in a cost-efficient manner.
He said the company, over the past two years, had been working behind the scenes to develop the power plant after fulfilling the initial requirements, including the incorporation of a local subsidiary in Ghana.
Mr. Carteret assured the community members, land owners and farmers, whose properties had been affected by the project, of appreciable compensation..
He assured the people that 80 percent of the indigenous people would be employed by the company, and pledged to maintain high safety standards, and ensure environmental friendliness to safeguard life and property.
Mr. Carteret, who is also the Country Manager for the project, said Aggreko operates more than nine gigawatt of power plants in 32 countries around the world, and delivers fast track independent power producing projects.
It is currently operating in La Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Brazil, USA, France, and many other Asian and American countries, producing more than 20,000 small, medium and large generators for mining companies, utility firms and local businesses.
Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minister of Petroleum and Member of Parliament for the area, said government had collaborated with the company since its arrival in Ghana, which was geared towards increasing the power capacity of the country, to end the power deficit and the current power outages.
He expressed delight that the massive infrastructure in the area was attracting investors to the place, and said this would create jobs to improve the lives of the people.
Dr. George Sipa Adjah Yankey, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, urged the indigenes to co-exist peacefully with the staff and management of the company, in order to accelerate the development of the area.
Nana Adu Kwaw the Second, Chief of Akropong, who represented the Paramount Chief of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli, expressed his profound gratitude to the government for advancing the development of the area.
He appealed to the power firm to honour its promise of applying the local content policy to enhance the local economy.
Source: GNA
