Accra, (Greater Accra) 12 Jan. '99,

Mr Fred Ohene Kena, Minister of Mines and Energy, today charged government representatives on the Steering Committee of the West African Gas Pipeline project and commercial groups associated with it to make the project a success. He said the people of the sub-region are looking up to them to overcome the hurdles and make meaningful the much talked about co-operation between ECOWAS countries. Mr Ohene Kena was opening the Sixth Steering Committee meeting of the West African Gas Pipeline in Accra. The Project, estimated at 405 million dollars, is aimed at providing alternative power in the sub-region for industry and commerce using Nigeria's vast gas deposits. The 980-kilometre long pipeline which will run from Nigeria through Benin, Togo to Ghana, is expected to be completed by 2001. The minister said: "This task must not be left to fail. ''Nations of the sub-region are facing a deficit in energy supply and it should be the primary objective of the sub-region to put in place prompt measures that will not only seek to address the immediate constraints but lay the foundation for a long-term sustainable plan for the entire power sector.'' The meeting is being attended by the ministers and their representatives from Nigeria, Benin and Togo. There are also representatives of Chevron and Shell, the commercial partners, and the ECOWAS Secretariat. Mr Ohene Kena said the 1998 experience in which there was a net deficit in power generation and supply has made governments in the sub-region even more conscious of the need to diversify power generation sources. He said the harm over-reliance on hydropower had had on power generation and industry was clear, adding: "it is for this reason that we should be encouraging thermal complementation using natural gas''. Mr Ohene Kena said a great deal of progress has been made over the last 18 months in the implementation of the project and that its completion within the next few years ''is a real possibility''. Dr John Sesay of the ECOWAS Secretariat and Mr Michael J. Weston, General Manager of Shell, Nigeria, in charge of Gas, said looking at the zeal and commitment of various governments and the extent of support and attention they attach to the project, ''it is clear that they want to see it through''. Dr Sesay told reporters that the project is now a regional project. "The momentum it has gained now transcends developments that may occur in one country, more so when it is being undertaken by private-led capital." Dr Abdullah Jibril Oyekan, Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, in his report, said a lot of work had been done although all work now was at the project stage. Feasibility studies have been done and the committee would be meeting to make a comprehensive assessment of them in order to decide what to do during subsequent phases. A meeting would be held in February to consider the report of the consultant. GRi