Kufuor Storms Abuja

THE government of Nigeria will supply Ghana with 60,000 barrels of oil on a daily basis at a liberal price.

This is the result of a consultative meeting President John Agyekum Kufuor had with the Nigerian President, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua when he visited the oil-rich West African country yesterday.

After the discussion, President Yar'Adua, on behalf of the government of Nigeria, promised his country's commitment to supply Ghana with oil.

Although the terms of payment were not disclosed, Mr Andrews Awuni, Ghana's Presidential Spokesperson told journalists back in Accra upon arrival at the Kotoka International Airport that “it would be on liberal terms”.

In Nigeria, President Kufuor, as part of the consultative meeting, also discussed with the Nigerian leader how the West African Gas Pipeline, of which Ghana is an equity holder, would be completed.

The project, when completed, would supply natural gas to Ghana which would be used to power the country's thermal plants at Tema, Asogli, Aboadze and other places.

With the escalating crude oil prices, gas comes in handy as an alternative source of energy for the nation, Mr Awuni said.

The Volta River Authority, Mr Awuni noted, spends lots of money on importing light crude oil to fire the thermal plants in Tema and Aboadze, which were installed to mitigate the shortfall when the country was hit by the energy crisis sometime ago.

With the call of President Kufuor on the Nigerian President to expedite action on the sub-regional project, Negeria has given the assurance of free flow of gas by the end of March 2008.

President Kufuor, who was accompanied by the Chief Executive of the Ghana Export Promotions Council, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, also discussed trade issues with his Nigerian counterpart.

It would be recalled that there were complaints about the influx of foreign operators, especially Nigerians in Ghana's retail sector, which is seen as the preserve of indigenous companies.

A joint committee had therefore been formed to work on resolving the matter when the President went to Nigeria. The committee's main business is to work on thrashing out the issue of trade difficulties between Ghanaians and Nigerians as well as other members of the co-prosperity project.

By Emelia Ennin