Accra, Aug 17, GNA - The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) on Wednesday urged government to partner a private enterprise to establish a gas refinery besides, the Tema Oil Refinery’s (TOR) operation.

AFAG said the establishment of a refinery would help to solve the perennial gas shortages that had bedevilled the country since the first quarter of 2009.

At a press conference addressed by Mr Davis Opoku, Member of AFAG in Accra, the Alliance said a gas refinery in Ghana would create more jobs for Ghanaians and enable Ghana to become a gas producing country as well as contribute to the GDP growth.

“Benefits of the gas infrastructure project in terms of saving cost of sole reliance on thermal energy supply and wood fuel in the form of charcoal were of great economic benefits and Ghana should make the construction of the project a priority to make gas a major source of energy in Ghana” Mr Opoku said.

He expressed worry over the persistent gas shortage, asking for the real cause of the continuous shortages, adding that “the last time AFAG checked there was no turbulence in the international oil and gas market neither was there any industrial action from the various ministries and agencies responsible for oil and gas importation, which must caused the storage and delivery”.

“The usual excuses from government to the effect that usage or demand has risen, only go to prove government’s ad hoc approach to solving real challenges facing Ghanaians.”

AFAG said the government’s promise of the arrival of 1,500 cubic tons of gas was “a false hope to Ghanaians because our daily consumption of gas is 1,000 metric tons. By this the expected gas delivery would only last for one and a half days”.

“AFAG demands an immediate and urgent explanation to this gas shortage debacle and the underlining steps taken by government whether medium or long term measures to find a lasting solution”.