WORK IS progressing steadily on various projects initiated by the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Energy, to ensure that the country’s energy requirements are met.

The Minister for Energy, Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, who inspected some of the projects in the Western Region early this week, was satisfied with the progress of work so far and expressed the hope that by the end of this year, the country’s power generation, transmission and distribution capacity would improve tremendously.

The minister was at Aboadze, where he inspected work on the Takoradi Thermal Power Station Expansion Project (T3 Project), which is expected to add 132 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. He also visited the Domunli Gas and Power enclave where plans are far advanced to build two 450 megawatts power plants that will feed on processed gas from Atuabo to generate electricity.

The minister as well inspected on-going construction works on the Electricity Company of Ghana’s new Substation ‘D’ at the Takoradi Harbour.

Dr Oteng-Adjei’s tour took him to Suazo and Ansokrom in the Jomoro District, Banso and Asonsi in the Nzema East Municipality, Adzan in the Ellembele District and Simpa Nkwata and Kofikrom in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, which are all benefiting from a $350 million rural electrification project being undertaken by Weldy Lamont/TMG, a US-Ghanaian collaboration.

So far, design drawings for 1292 towns in 17 districts in the Western Region under first survey works by the contractor have been approved by the ECG for construction. Out of this number, the state agency has issued work orders on 479 towns for award packages to the contractor, for which works have commenced in 402 towns.

The minister told journalists that the government had provided funding for the replacement of all obsolete equipment within the country’s power transmission system, adding that when this was done, it would bring great relief to Ghanaians. He said the government was very much aware of the significance of power supply to the growth and long term planning by commerce and industry.

Kick-starting his tour with a meeting with heads of decentralized departments, workers and some members of the Jomoro District Assembly, he urged the people of Jomoro to ensure that they took advantage of various projects being embarked on in their district.

Dr. Oteng-Adjei said the installation of a power generation plant in the area, which would feed on processed gas from Atuabo, would attract industries to the locality to provide jobs for the people. He therefore called on them, especially the youth, to develop themselves in readiness for the opportunities that would become available.

At Aboadze, the minister commissioned a new office building to house VRA officials who have mostly been working in temporary offices. Addressing a durbar ahead of the commissioning, the Dr. Oteng-Adjei reiterated the government’s commitment to increasing the country’s electricity generation capacity to 5000MW in the medium term.

He said the government was very much aware that for economic development to take place, the fundamental requirement was reliable supply of power. He thanked the chiefs and people of Aboadze for releasing their land when there was the need to put up the thermal plant.