Gov't Committed To Energy Sector—Kofi Buah Assures

Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah

Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minister designate for Energy and Petroleum has reiterated that he will partner with the various stakeholders of the sector to enhance quality service to the citizenry in terms of providing utilities, adding that he was committed to solving problems.

According to him his office will also ensure that Ghana becomes the hub of business attraction with regards to the energy sector since he was comfortable in working with the various government agencies under the energy sector.

Answering questions which were directed to him by some members of the Vetting and Appointment Committee last Thursday in Accra, he maintained that President Mahama was aggressive in his policy of energy for all by the year 2016 for a 100 per cent accessibility of electricity in every part of the country.

He said there was a backlog of energy to be connected and that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) still required about 500,000 meters, especially the use of smart meters, to curb consumers from tempering with them.

Mr Kofi-Buah was also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ellembele Constituency in the Western Region added that if the energy for all programmes was feasible, when given the nod; the ministry would work with the private sector to ensure that this objective was achieved.

Mr Armah said the ECG had come out with a Charter to address challenges the company faced and pledged he would work with the ECG to address customer satisfaction related problems adding that a lot of tracking of power outages must be carried out to know the problem areas.

He said 300 million dollars was devoted for the rural electrification project as energy supply was low, especially in most communities in the northern part of the country.

He said there was an ongoing reform of the ECG with a plan to split the company into four business units which are Volta and Eastern Region, Ashanti Region, Central and Western Region and Northern Region and that the process needed to be sped up.

Mr Buah said he would work with the private sector to mobilise the necessary energy resources, be it renewable, to enable the government to meet its target by 2016.

He noted that attention must be placed on gas and that a gas task force, set up by late President Mills, had made a lot of progress but the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning must be supportive in that drive.

Mr Buah also noted that a policy on de-regulation was still effective but had to be discussed adding that government would look at the situation and use subsidy money for development purposes.

Touching on the issue of local content in the area of oil discovery, he assured that measures had already been put in place to have Ghanaians employed and acquire the requisite skills as real jobs were going to come from jobs associated with the oil industry.

He said the top priority was how to manage the oil revenue to benefit all including future generations.

Mr Buah said he would ensure that the ministry sets up a Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Centre to help businesses to be creative and be competitive in the industry.

Other nominees vetted include Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor, Minister designate for Government Business in Parliament, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister designate for Trade and Industry, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah Oppong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice designate, and Ms Dzifa Ativor, Minister of Transport designate.