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Tag: Gas

  • Gas explosion at Oyoko claims one life, leaves two hospitalized

    Gas explosion at Oyoko claims one life, leaves two hospitalized

    A devastating gas explosion at a residence in Oyoko, a suburb of the New Juaben North Municipality, has left a young boy and a woman in critical condition at the Eastern Regional Hospital.

    The explosion also claimed the life of Asante Rose, a Purchasing and Supply student at Koforidua Technical University. She was rushed to the hospital but, sadly, did not survive.

    According to reports, a gas leak was discovered in the kitchen. In an attempt to trace its source, Rose struck a match, unknowingly setting off the explosion.

    Her younger brother and a neighbor, who were also caught in the blast, were taken to the Koforidua Central Hospital. Rose, however, succumbed to her injuries shortly after.

    Emergency responders from the Ghana National Fire Service arrived at the scene to contain the fire and assist the police with their investigations.

    Meanwhile, Koforidua Technical University’s management has been informed of the tragedy, though they have yet to release an official statement.

  • 70% maintenance done, gas supply to Tema to resume soon – WAPCo

    70% maintenance done, gas supply to Tema to resume soon – WAPCo

    The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) has reported that 70% of its repair operations are complete, bringing the company closer to reinstating gas flow to Tema.

    The maintenance work, which involves a deep-sea pipeline cleansing and assessment process called pigging, began on February 3, 2025, and is projected to conclude by March 2, 2025.

    Addressing journalists at WAPCo’s facility in the Tema Industrial Zone, Engineer Benoni Owusu Ayeh, the Operations and Maintenance Superintendent for Western Operations, expressed confidence in the project’s progress.

    “Looking at the travel distance and what we communicated, we believe that we should be able to complete this exercise before 2nd March. We’re within schedule and we believe that until something happens – but based on what we’ve seen we’re making progress.

    “We hope to resume supply to Tema, and also Lomé. We’ll still have to carry out some activities to the Cotonou lateral. Because from the Tema job, the vessel will move to Cotonou. Cotonou we’re doing an inspection, we run several pigs, about six of them. So Cotonou will not be able to resume, 2nd March. We are either looking at either 5th or 7th March. But for reverse flow and Tema, we should be ready before 2nd March,” he noted.

    He added that while gas supply to Tema and Lomé should resume as expected, further work is required for the Cotonou section.

    These upgrades are essential for enhancing the pipeline’s performance and ensuring a steady energy supply for Ghana.

  • WAPCo begins offshore pipeline maintenance, inspection today

    WAPCo begins offshore pipeline maintenance, inspection today

    The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), the operator of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), is set to carry out major maintenance work from February 5 to March 2, 2025.

    The activities will involve pigging and conducting in-line inspections along the 569 km offshore pipeline that spans from Ajido, Lagos State in Nigeria to Takoradi in Ghana’s Western Region. The project will also include replacing essential subsea valves in Tema and Cotonou to improve safety measures.

    Due to this maintenance, certain services will be temporarily halted, including the reverse flow of natural gas from the Western Region to Tema, as well as gas transport from Nigeria to Cotonou, Lomé, and Tema. Nonetheless, some natural gas transportation from Nigeria to Takoradi will remain unaffected to support the pipeline’s cleaning and inspection procedures.

    This detailed cleaning and inspection process is required by regulations and adheres to industry best practices to ensure the ongoing safe and effective operation of the WAGP.

    The maintenance will occur in two phases. The first phase, which wrapped up in December 2024, addressed the onshore section of the pipeline in Nigeria. The second phase, which will begin on February 5, 2025, will focus on the offshore portion of the pipeline.

  • Gas prices to surge next week amid shortage – LPG Marketers warn

    Gas prices to surge next week amid shortage – LPG Marketers warn

    The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Marketers Association of Ghana has issued a warning about a potential gas shortage in the market starting next week, which could lead to a surge in prices.

    According to the association, the current LPG reserves in the country are dwindling, exacerbated by new regulations imposed by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) on gas imports. Gabriel Kumi, Vice President of the association, indicated that the existing stock of LPG is not sustainable and will be depleted within a week.

    “There is a significant shortage in the system. The 10,000 metric tons that have recently arrived will be exhausted by the end of the week. If we don’t bring in another shipment of gas by next week, we will face a serious shortage situation,” he warned. Kumi also mentioned that fluctuations in international market prices could lead to further increases.

    He pointed out that the Atuabo Gas Plant, which typically meets 45 to 50 percent of the national demand, has been underperforming for the past month, compelling LPG marketers to rely heavily on imports. “We believe the only way to avert the shortage is for the NPA to instruct the Bulk Distribution Companies (BDCs) to expedite imports so we can adequately serve the public,” he suggested.

    The association previously reported LPG shortages across various regions on September 26, warning that the situation could worsen if BDC supplies do not improve. Kumi stated at that time, “If this problem isn’t addressed today, we could enter the weekend facing severe shortages. About 60 to 70 percent of us have run out of LPG.” He noted that the few stations still stocked with gas were under immense pressure.

    In response to the crisis, the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) assured that the issues were being resolved, attributing the shortages to initial challenges with the BDCs.

    A source from TOR stated, “We expect supplies to improve very soon and for the situation to normalize.”

  • Explosion at gas station in Sunyani destroys several houses

    Explosion at gas station in Sunyani destroys several houses

    A massive explosion at the Fosu gas station near the Petrosol filling station, close to Nana Bosoma’s palace in Sunyani Asufufu, has led to a destructive fire impacting nearby houses.

    The explosion, which occurred earlier today, has created significant alarm among residents in the area.

    Reports indicate that personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) were on the scene, actively working to bring the situation under control. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.

    Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties as a result of the explosion and fire.

    Residents in the affected area have been compelled to evacuate due to the highly flammable nature of the situation.

    Further details regarding the incident, including the extent of the damage and ongoing efforts to manage the situation, are expected to emerge as the situation develops.

  • Ghana faces gas shortage as WAPCo begins 3-week maintenance work

    Ghana faces gas shortage as WAPCo begins 3-week maintenance work

    The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) has announced a reduction in gas volumes available for transportation, citing ongoing maintenance works by one of its gas producers in Nigeria.

    In a press release dated June 12, signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Isaac Adjei Doku, WAPCo stated, “One of the producers of the natural gas WAPCo transports from Nigeria has shut down its facility for a three-week maintenance, resulting in a decrease of gas available for WAPCo to transport to customers in Togo, Benin, and Ghana.”

    The company emphasized that the current situation is beyond its control and assured stakeholders that it continues to transport gas from the Western Region of Ghana to Tema, also in Ghana.

    It expects normalcy to return after the maintenance activities are completed.

    The announcement comes amidst concerns about the impact of the gas shortage on the affected countries’ energy supply and highlights the importance of regular maintenance and infrastructure upgrades in the energy sector.

  • Recent fire outbreak at Circle was caused by gas stove leakage – GNFS

    Recent fire outbreak at Circle was caused by gas stove leakage – GNFS

    Preliminary investigations by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) into yesterday’s fire incident near the Odaw drain and railway line, Circle indicate that it was caused by an unattended gas stove.

    The fire, which broke out late Wednesday afternoon in an area known as ECOMOG, destroyed 300 of the 450 structures, with firemen managing to save 150 structures.

    “Our team is currently at the scene to continue with investigations to ascertain the actual cause of the fire but preliminary investigations suggest that somebody was cooking and left the gas stove unattended to and that led to this fire,” the Deputy National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GNFS, Divisional Officer (DO III), Desmond Ackah, said.

    The incident caused a power outage in Adabraka, New Town, and surrounding communities.

    This marks the second fire in this area in two years, following a similar incident in February 2022 that led to an unsuccessful evacuation order.

    Mr Ackah stated that the service received a distress call around 3:35 p.m. and quickly deployed fire engines, arriving at the scene at 5:43 p.m. By then, the fire was already out of control, necessitating the deployment of four additional fire engines.

    “During the fire fighting, we received information that some people could not be accounted for and, therefore, we had to do a thorough search to ascertain that but as of this morning, we are getting reports that they have not been able to find one person so our team is on the ground to continue with thorough investigation,” he told

    Despite these challenges, firemen were able to douse the fire around 10:57 p.m. the same night.

    Although there were no casualties, one person remains unaccounted for.

    The fire has displaced many people. Ackah urged authorities to assist the victims and consider relocating them to safer shelters. He also called for increased security in the area to prevent future incidents, noting that illegal activities and connections are prevalent.

    Greater Accra Regional Minister Titus Glover has visited the site to assess the situation and issued a stern warning against rebuilding structures.

    He stated that anyone attempting to rebuild would be arrested and assured that enforcement measures would be in place.

    “We don’t want to have any third fire; therefore, they should prepare to leave. We will make sure we put men on the ground to ensure nobody lives here. Anyone who tries to rebuild a structure here will be arrested,” he cautioned.

  • APPO pledges to eliminate gas flaring, decrease methane emissions in Africa’s oil and gas sector

    APPO pledges to eliminate gas flaring, decrease methane emissions in Africa’s oil and gas sector


    The African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) concluded its roundtable on gas flaring and fugitive methane emissions, with industry stakeholders committing to address environmental challenges through collaborative efforts, strict regulations, and advanced technologies.

    The two-day event in Accra, co-hosted by the Petroleum Commission, united delegates and experts from diverse sectors such as hydrocarbons ministries, national oil companies, industry regulators, and academia.

    Under the theme “Towards Zero Routine Gas Flaring and Lower Methane Emissions in APPO Member Countries’ Oil and Gas Operations,” the roundtable aimed to deepen dialogue among APPO member countries and industry stakeholders.

    The conversations revolved around recent advancements and tactics to reduce regular gas flaring and methane emissions, which have substantial implications for climate change and economic losses resulting from resource wastage.

    Following the roundtable, APPO released an 11-point Communique on behalf of the attendees, reiterating the dedication to addressing the issues of gas flaring and fugitive methane emissions.

    The primary results and strategic pledges from the roundtable are outlined as follows:

    Environmental and Economic Impacts:

    Delegates acknowledged the significant environmental damage and economic losses due to routine gas flaring and methane emissions. They emphasized the necessity for improved environmental practices to align with APPO’s strategic objectives and the potential for optimizing resource use.

    Commitment to Reduction Efforts:

    Participants committed to adopting stricter regulations, best practices, preventive maintenance, and investing in technologies to capture and utilize associated gas. They agreed on a zero-tolerance policy for gas flaring in new projects and mandated facilities for utilizing produced gas in ongoing operations.

    Energy Accessibility:

    The roundtable underscored the importance of utilizing all available natural gas resources to enhance energy availability and accessibility on the continent, thereby supporting economic growth and development.

    Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing:

    Emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts, participants advocated for workshops, training programs, joint projects, and the development of common strategies to address gas flaring and methane emissions effectively.

    Policy and Regulatory Frameworks:

    The necessity for robust policy and regulatory frameworks was highlighted, with commitments to review, monitor, and enforce policies aligned with global best practices.

    Research and Development:

    Participants recommended strengthening ties between industry, regulators, and academia to support research initiatives focused on innovative solutions for reducing emissions, ensuring academic curricula remain relevant to industry needs.

    Monitoring and Reporting Progress:

    APPO members recognized that establishing robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms was deemed crucial. This includes setting measurable targets, regular reporting, and third-party verification to track progress in emission reduction efforts.

    Infrastructure Investment:

    The delegates also agreed on the critical role of host governments in developing infrastructure to utilize associated gas effectively, thereby minimizing flaring and maximizing economic benefits.

    Public Awareness and Stakeholder Engagement:

    The importance of raising public awareness and engaging stakeholders, including local communities and NGOs, was recognized as vital for transparent communication and inclusive dialogue.

    Shared Responsibility:

    The roundtable concluded that both governments and oil and gas companies share the primary responsibility for investing in emission-reducing technologies. A combination of performance-based and prescriptive regulations was recommended to enforce compliance with emission targets

    Establishment of Regional Centers of Excellence:

    The APPO Member Countries (MCs) agreed to establish Regional Centers of Excellence as part of APPO efforts to boost R&D and develop the regional oil and gas industry on the back of indigenous knowledge and innovation.

  • Gas explosion at Spintex kills 2, 5 injured

    Gas explosion at Spintex kills 2, 5 injured

    An explosion at Joyea Construction at Spintex along the Accra-Tema motorway on Friday afternoon has resulted in two reported deaths, with five others currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

    DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu, the Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), confirmed the incident to Joy News. The Fire Service received a call about the incident around 2:20 pm.

    “We received a distress call over a blast at Joyea Construction and had to respond immediately. We then dispatched the personnel at the fire station around Kasapreko to the scene.”

    “Joyea is into construction works, roofing sheets, trusses and other things. We have gathered that one of the oxyacetylene gas tanks used as part of metal fabrication ruptured. Oxyacetylene is obtained by combining acetylene gas and oxygen, and it is used for welding and cutting of metal,” he shared.

    DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu also stated that no fire was generated in the explosion. However, he mentioned that the fire team would investigate to determine the exact cause of the explosion, as several factors could have contributed to it.

    “A number of possibilities could lead to the oxyacetylene tank rupturing. It could be due to leakage from the tank, the nozzle, whether the concentration level was too high, positioning of the tank, exposure to heat and other factors. Our investigations will look at all these,” DOIII Yenzu noted.

    DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu emphasized that determining the exact cause of the explosion is crucial to preventing a recurrence in the future.

    He stated that the Fire Service’s primary objective at the scene is to ensure all hazards are under control.

    Regarding information from Joyea Construction’s management, he mentioned that they would engage with management and workers once the area is deemed safe enough.

    In addition to ensuring safety after the explosion, the Fire Service is closely monitoring the condition of the five injured individuals.

    DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu advised companies dealing with industrial materials of such nature to continuously monitor their location for safety purposes.

    “You need to always check the temperature. Despite the accident happening in an open space, the proximity could be an issue. When dealing with welding equipment ensure they are a distance from where you’re doing your hot works”.

    “Periodically check your hoses, the gauge, and nozzle if there are any leakages and anything that matters to ensure safety for all,” he cautioned.

  • 3 die in tragic gas explosion at Kumasi

    3 die in tragic gas explosion at Kumasi

    A devastating explosion of domestic gas has struck Sepe, a suburb of Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region, resulting in the loss of three lives and leaving one individual injured.

    The deceased, identified by authorities as Hamdella Jibril (37 years old), Kenyeyiti Meena-Lla Adam (5 years old), and Rafat Huruna (18 years old), tragically lost their lives in the explosion.

    Meanwhile, Majid Adams, the sole survivor, is currently receiving medical treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

    The incident occurred around 8 am on April 10, 2024, when Hamdella Jibril detected a gas leak emanating from their six-kilogram gas cylinder in the kitchen.

    Attempting to address the issue, Jibril moved the cylinder outside, unaware of the nearby coal pot ablaze.

    Regrettably, the ignition from the coal pot triggered a powerful explosion, resulting in fatalities and injuries.

    Despite the severity of the explosion, the affected family chose to bury the deceased without informing the police. It wasn’t until April 19, 2024, that an informant alerted authorities about the incident, prompting an investigation.

    Upon arrival at the scene, police officials confirmed details provided by family elders, who disclosed that the deaths occurred on different dates following the explosion.

    “Police proceeded to the scene and met three elders of the deceased’s family namely Mohammad Muniru Ridwan, Fuseini Wahab and Gibrine Lami, who confirmed the story.

    “According to the elders, the incident occurred on April 10, 2024 about 8am, resulting in the death of Hamdella Jibril, aged 37, Kenyeyiti Meena-Lla Adam, aged 5, and Rafat Huruna aged 18.

    “Majid Adams, who was also affected by the explosion, is currently on admission at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,” a Manhyia Divisional Police report sighted by the paper said.

    The report said the trio did not die on the same day, noting that, “On April 11, 2024, Kenyeyiti Meena died and on April 17, 2024 Haruna Adams and Hamdella Jibril also died,” adding, “The three deceased have since been buried without informing the police.”

    Kenyeyiti Meena-Lla Adam passed away on April 11, 2024, while Rafat Huruna and Hamdella Jibril succumbed to their injuries on April 17, 2024.

    The trio was laid to rest without prior notification to law enforcement.

    As part of ongoing investigations, three family members of the deceased have been summoned to assist the police in gathering further information regarding the tragic incident.

  • “Dode Akaabi, the first female king of the Gas who trained Ashanti Warrior, Yaa Asantewaa”

    “Dode Akaabi, the first female king of the Gas who trained Ashanti Warrior, Yaa Asantewaa”

    I am the great grand daughter of this great woman but I write this purposely to preserve history devoid of any emotional sentiments and personal association with the character.

    Dode Akaabi, the grand daughter of Wettey, the leader of the Obutus(Awutus) one of the Guan tribes and the Guans as a whole, and a princess of Obutus (Awutus) married one of the king of the Gas, Mampon Okai also known as Dua Kwei and bore him a son by name, Okaikwei.

    The Obutus (Awutus) established a good relationship with the Gas who before their encounter with the Obutus(Awutus) had their “Wulomos”( Spiritual leaders) leading them. The Obutus had kings and the association of the Gas with them led to their commencement of Kings ruling instead of the Wulomos.

    Till now, though the Awutus are Guans, they are also considered as Gas because of Dode Akaabi’s rule in the Ga land and the miscegenation between the Gas and the Obutus (Awutus). The Awutus and Senya Bereku was assimilated into the family of Naiwe in the Ga land and till date, the ruling families of Awutu and Senya Bereku bear the title of ” Nai” in recognition of their blood relationship with the Gas.

    The Obutus (Awutus) also inter married with the Akwamus and other tribes and so there are some historians that refer to the Akwamus as Guans. In 1693, the Asamani of Akwamu who is believed to be from the Asamani clan in the Obutu( Awutu)/ Guan tribe led a raid and seized Osu Castle from the Danish colonists. There is also the ” Tutu” shrine in Bereku where it is believed that Manu Kotosii, the mother of Osei Tutu1 went to seek help from the Tutu shrine for a son whom was named Osei Tutu 1.

    Dode Akaabi, wife of the Ga mantse, Mampon Okai also known as Dua Kwei and mother of Okaikwei ruled as the first female king of the Gas after the demise of Mampon Okai due to the fact that, the heir to the throne, Okaikwei was too young at the time of the demise of the King. Her rule was repugnant to the Ga customary law of succession which only allowed male rulers. She was the caretaker of the late king ‘s regalia and paraphernalia and doubled as his wife.

    Dode Akaabi emerges as a formidable figure whose rise as the first female political leader of the Gold Coast opened a new vistas of power to her gender. She is generally believed to have introduced much display of jewellery and colourful attire into the chieftains institution.

    Some even attribute the custom of sitting on stools to Dode Akaabi. Prior to her rule, stools were mainly taken into war and held aloft to lift the spirit of the troops; popularly regarded as having no authority from the deity. She demanded to sit on the war stool to visually symbolize her authority over her people.

    She forbade men from using the expression, “bulu” (fool) in reference to their wives. And when they did, she ordered that a live lion or tiger be captured for her just to deter the men from disrespecting their wives.

    She led the Guans which comprises the Obutus, Lartehs, Kyereponis, Krachis, Guans, etc to secure so many lands which included Ayawaso, Nsakina, Ablekuma, Amasaman, etc and even helped the Akwamus in so many wars. She had her personal war stools which present day are in Bereku and Larteh which she took to wars and trained most of the Akwamu warriors including Nana Yaa Asantewaa, a renowned Ashanti warrior.

    It’s a pity that this HEROINE who is revered amongst her people have been left untouched. I only seek to tell the forgotten story.

    The Forgotten People And Heroine Part 2

    Oral tradition has it that, the founding fathers of Awutu in the Central Region of Ghana migrated from inland Volta, along the Volta river till they reached the sea shore trekking westward.

    They halted at a place called Awutu Ampi(Awutu Rocks) which is sometimes described as Bleku Abo(sky-god Bleku’s rock) at Lanma, about eleven miles west of Accra which today forms the boundary line between Accra and Awutu, popularly called Mile eleven. It is believed that the Awutu arrived somewhat later than the Ga Mashi who settled near Nkorang(Anglicized Accra). The dialect of the Awutu is Guan variants of which are spoken in Gonna and Lartehs.

    The word “AWUTU AMASA” which means the three Awutu states refers to Awutu-Effutu-Senya district. These three states have so many things in common. The immigrant Awutu people arrived under the leadership of King Whettey who had a lot of gold and brought his wealth with him( see M.J. Field “Social organization of the Ga people” 1940, p. 143).

    At Awutu Ampi, they camped on the Dampa hill and were organised in local patrilineal groups. The leading ones were known as “Dode, “Shiapa” and “Pete” and they worshipped the gods, “Odzobi” , “Afi Tutu” and “Odai Tutu” respectively.

    The immigrant leader belonged to the Dode lineage and possessing a stool(Pru) which is round with three handles, coated white annually and being kept in a room of its own apart from the two wars stools, one of which is in Larteh presently. Tradition indicates that the relationship between the various immigrant groups was cordial for each had something valuable to offer the other.

    The Adangmes were famous potters, the La were skilled makers of fire, the Ga Mashi supplied maize, the Awutus were renowned rain makers and the Akwamus specialised in warfare and hired themselves out as mercenaries.( see M.J. Field, “Awutu Bereku Story”. Published by Speed will press, 1962, of 4.)

    The Ga Mashie under Ayi Kushi coveted the gold trinkets of King Wettey with which he was richly decorated and transferred their allegiance from Ayi Kushi to the Awutu king. This brought about constant quarrels between the two sides till they both died and were succeeded.

    Later, Dode Akaabi got married to a rich Ga slave dealer by name, Okai Mampong( already in the part 1).

    |The HEROINE, Dode Akaabi.|
    “DODE” means ancient and it has no relation with the Adangbe name, Dede.

    Her ascension to power as the first major female figure in Ga and indeed Gold Coast, history should certainly rank as a remarkable event attesting to the skills of this powerful personality. Dode Akaabi certainly displayed the ruthless decisiveness that has marked the careers of admired statesmen the world over. Her alleged atrocities aside, Dode Akaabi appears to have kept the kingdom intact.

    However, the manner of her death indicates a deeper degree of dissent among her subjects. Her regency and greatness is perhaps best analyzed in the context of her role in the evolution of chiefship in the Gold Coast. Until her ascension to power, chieftancy appeared to have been a male dominated affair.

    The chief in the theocratic state of Accra was by definition also a high priest or “wulomo”. As the high priest could only be male, Dode Akaabi’s rise to power necessarily entailed a schism between the powers of the “wulomo” and that of the King; this marked a secularization of Ga-Adangme politics and the concentration of religious authority in the hands of the “wulomei”( plural of wulomo). Since her authority, unlike her predecessors was no longer derived from privileged access to the deity, She had to formulate new methods of governance.

    This she did principally through the previous untried method of direct legislation which appears to have drawn the ire of her subjects. She brought a new magnificence to royalty by combining western culture with new standards of culture. She wore gold ornaments just as king Wettey. She emerges as a formidable figure whose rise as the first female political leader of the Gold Coast opened new vistas of power to her gender. She is generally believed to have introduced much display of jewellery and colourful attire into the institution of Chieftancy and some even attribute the custom of sitting on stools to Dode Akaabi. Prior to her rule, stools were mainly taken to war and held aloft to lift the spirit of the troops.

    She demanded to sit on the war stool to visually symbolize her authority over her subjects. She led her people to win so many wars and one of her war stools till date remains in the palace of Lartehs. It is accounted that, she led her people to war and were met by rain on their way back. She asked that the stool be taken to the Lartehs palace to prevent it from being beaten by rain and then moved on with her people.

    The people of Awutu under Dode Akaabi and other great rulers settled and ruled lands which they discovered like Ayawaso, Apetumi near the Apara hill, Obutu Ofankor, Obutu Dzrano, Awutu Kpehe, present day Kasoa, Kwabenya, Awutuakwa near Odorkor, Gbawe, Nsakina, Ablekuma, Anyaa amongst others. These are all places that were discovered and ruled by the Awutus. (Op. Cit. 1962,pg.3).

    |The Tragic Death Of Dode Akaabi.|
    Later, her lust for power increased considerably as she grew older and became a tyrant who could punish crime without mercy, often against the Ga people, who she accused of murdering her husband. One day, she ordered the deepening of a well at the foothills of a rock with their bare hands. As the hole deepened, they encountered hard rocks and decided to rebel; so they sent word to her that there was someone obstructing their work. Legend has it that Dode, enraged beyond endurance dashed to the workplace and quickly descended into the well to deal ruthlessly with the intruder. The rebels then closed in and stoned her to death and filled the well with stones.( somewhere around Nsakina stands that well).

    The myth is that, her ghost lived in the pit and to pacify her, annual sacrifices were performed till 1939,when a famous medicine man from Northern Ghana was commissioned by the Awutu elders to exorcise the her spirit out of the well and brought among its kinsfolk. The invisible ghost was seated upon a white horse and led in procession to Awutu where it was bidden to rest in peace.( Op. Cit. 1962, pg. 6)

    |The Fall of The Awutus.|
    Her son, Okaikoi succeeded the Ga throne of his father, Mampong Okai. Since he was not a member of the Dode-patrilineage, he was not eligible to succeed in Awutu. The Akwamuhene who was watching this dangerous event unfold, lost no time as he rushed his troops to take positions around the Okai koi hills during which many of the Awutus and the Gas deserted him. This unfortunate situation compelled Okai Koi to commit suicide on the battlefield by blowing himself up with a gun. Fear led to the scattering of the people and today, most of the Awutus can be found in the Awutu/Effutu/Senya Bereku traditional area in the Central Region of which main Awutu towns like Bawjiase, Obrachire, Bereku, amongst others.

    Reference.
    Http://gadangmenikasemoasafo.wordpress
    http://www.ghanaculture.gov.gh/index1
    Credit.
    Kwame Ampene( founder of the Guan historical society( writer of the history of the Awutus)

    Source: modernghana.com via Mercy Asamani

    mercedesrowe.blogspot.com
    Columnist@modernghana
    mercyasamani@yahoo.com
    0263640914

    DISCLAIMER: TIGPost.co will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana.

  • The youth is the most important resource in Ghana – Independent presidential candidate

    The youth is the most important resource in Ghana – Independent presidential candidate

    Independent presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections, Dr. Sam Ankrah, has underscored the significance of prioritizing the well-being and development of the country’s youth over natural resources like oil, gas, or gold.

    In a meeting with media practitioners at his campaign office in Accra, Dr. Ankrah, a global business strategist and development economist, stressed the need for creating a system that harnesses the untapped potential of the younger generation.

    He emphasized that if the youth are deemed more valuable than the country’s mineral resources, efforts should be directed towards preparing them for future responsibilities, and the government should take on this responsibility.

    “If our youth are more valuable than our oil, gas, or gold we are mining then let’s create a system to harness these untapped resources as a country,” he added.

    Discussing his Affordable Ghana campaign, focused on transparent and accountable leadership, Dr. Ankrah urged young people to support his initiative and actively engage in holding political candidates accountable.

    He promised to present a youth policy document encompassing a comprehensive scheme catering to every young person in the country, with a commitment to ensuring full-time employment, apprenticeship, or education for every young person above 18 by his second year in office.

    As a seasoned economist and investment banker, Dr. Ankrah highlighted the importance of active civic responsibility and engagement for a thriving democracy.

    He emphasized that achieving an empowering atmosphere for Ghanaian citizens requires adherence to the rule of law, efficient government institutions, and a robust fight against corruption.

    Dr. Ankrah encouraged the younger generation to maintain optimism for the nation’s future and be innovative in supporting his ten-point plan, which aims to challenge the political duopoly of the National People’s Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ghana’s governance history.

  • Six people have died in the Kenyan gas disaster

    Six people have died in the Kenyan gas disaster

    Six people have died in a big gas explosion in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, on Thursday.

    Two more people died on Sunday while they were being treated at the Kenyatta National Hospital. The hospital is the biggest one in the country.

    Fifty-two more people are getting help at various hospitals.

    A big truck with gas tanks exploded just before midnight in a crowded part of the city, and it caused a lot of fires.

    The officials have said that the filling facility is against the law and it has been destroyed two times before.

    Kenyan police are looking for seven people who may be connected to the explosion. One of the suspects is the owner of the gas plant, Derrick Kimathi.

    On Saturday, President William Ruto said that bad and dishonest government workers are responsible for letting the plant operate in a neighborhood where people live.

    More update on this story soon.

  • The ark of covenant was carried from Israel to Ethiopia by Ga people – Osu Wor-Lumor

    The ark of covenant was carried from Israel to Ethiopia by Ga people – Osu Wor-Lumor

    The origin of the Ga ethnic group has been the subject of diverse narratives as scholars present varying migration stories.

    With Africans having traversed the continent for millennia in different directions, whether northward, southward, eastward, or westward, pinpointing the exact origin of any African group remains uncertain.

    While remembered history and written records both lack absolute certainty, critical analysis of facts from various sources can unveil elements of truth.

    During an interview, the Chief Priest of the Osu Nadu/Klottey Clan provided detailed insights into the origin and history.

    Chief Priest Wor-Lumor Nuumo Noi Sekanku Kpenuku II disclosed that the Gas originated from Israel and were part of the family of DAN.

    “In 72 AD, when the Persians invaded Israel, Jerusalem, and they had wanted to take the ark of the covenant, so we were the people who carried the ark of the covenant to Ethiopia. We left from Ethiopia because the Somalians were disturbing us…We left Ethiopia to Sudan to settle near the Coast Valley…,” he explained.

  • LPG prices to see reduction soon – NPA

    LPG prices to see reduction soon – NPA

    The Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Policies and Research (INSTEPR), Kwadwo Nsafoah Poku, has hinted at an imminent decrease in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices, signaling a potential relief for consumers.

    He commended the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) management for its effective leadership and innovative approach in implementing the cylinder recirculation model (CRM).

    In a statement on Friday, February 2, Poku, recognizing the efforts led by Dr. Mustapha Hamid, highlighted the introduction of an international tender for LPG importation by the NPA management.

    Mr Poku expressed optimism that the tendering process, fostering competition in LPG pricing, would result in a gradual reduction in LPG prices in the upcoming months.

    “Led by Dr. Mustapha Hamid, the NPA management has introduced an international tender for LPG importation,” he wrote on Friday, February 2.

    “This tendering process has introduced competition in the pricing of LPG, and consumers can expect to see a gradual reduction in LPG price in the coming months.”

    Acknowledging past challenges with CRM since its introduction post the 2017 gas explosion at Atomic Junction in Accra, he stressed the importance of addressing the implementation of this capital-intensive policy while ensuring continued affordability for households.

    Under CRM, customers no longer need to purchase gas cylinders, as pre-filled cylinders of various sizes are provided, allowing customers to exchange their empty cylinders for filled ones.

    He emphasized the urgent need to evaluate and reform the petroleum downstream value chain, especially given private sector participation in the sector for over 15 years.

    He noted the key decision of revamping the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and suggested establishing a roadmap for TOR, emphasizing the potential for comprehensive discussions on fuel security and affordability in the coming years with private refineries in Ghana.

  • Three people dead and almost 300 injured in gas explosion in capital of Kenya

    Three people dead and almost 300 injured in gas explosion in capital of Kenya

    A big explosion of gas in Nairobi, Kenya, has killed at least three people and hurt nearly 300.

    A truck with gas exploded in Embakasi district at around 11:30 pm, causing a big fire, said a government spokesperson.

    Homes, stores, and cars were destroyed, and there was a big fire near apartment buildings.

    Before, the government said that the explosion happened at a gas factory. The reason is still being figured out.

    Embakasi’s top police officer, Wesley Kimeto, said that a child was one of the people who died in the explosion. He also mentioned that the number of people who died could increase.

    The Kenya Red Cross helped 271 people get to the hospital and treated 27 more at the scene.

    The explosion sent a fireball in all directions, and according to the government spokesman Isaac Mwaura, a gas cylinder hit a warehouse full of clothes and fabric, causing it to catch fire and burn down.

    “The fire hurt more cars and stores, including a lot of small and medium-sized businesses,” he said in a statement.

    “Unfortunately, the homes in the area also caught on fire while many people were still inside, because it was late at night. ”

    People told the news that they felt shaking right after the explosion.

    The Standard newspaper says that many of the injured have breathing problems, and at least 25 of them are children.

    One person named Boniface Sifuna said to the news agency Reuters, “I got burned by a gas canister that exploded when I was trying to get away. ”

    “It blew up in front of me and the force knocked me down and the fire surrounded me. ” I feel fortunate that I was able to escape because I was strong enough.

    James Ngoge, who lives nearby, said he heard a big explosion from his house when the blast happened.

    “It seemed like it might fall down. ” At first, we didn’t know what was happening, it felt like an earthquake.

    “My business in the street was all wrecked. ”

    A reporter from the Nation newspaper who lives in the area said that everyone had left their homes after the explosion.

    The Kenya Red Cross posted on social media that people have been working very hard to put out the fire.

    Mr Mwaura, who speaks for the government, said that the explosion area is safe now and a place to command the rescue work has been set up.

    The Kenyans are told to stay away from the area that is blocked off so that the rescue mission can happen without problems.

  • WAPCo pipeline to halt operations for regulatory testing on Jan 28

    WAPCo pipeline to halt operations for regulatory testing on Jan 28

    The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) has announced its plan to conduct a coordinated Emergency Shut Down (ESD) and High Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS) Proof tests at its facilities in Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria from January 28th to 30th, 2024.

    The regulatory-mandated tests will commence on January 28, 2024, starting at the Itoki Regulating and Metering Station in Nigeria from 08:00 to 16:00, followed by the Lagos Beach Compressor Station in Nigeria from 08:00 to 16:00.

    Additionally, the Tema and Takoradi Regulating and Metering Stations in Ghana will undergo shutdown on the same day from 08:00 to 16:00.Subsequently, the Cotonou Regulating and Metering Station in Benin Republic is scheduled for the same process on Monday, January 29, 2024, from 08:00 to 16:00.

    Finally, on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, the Lomé Regulating and Metering Station in Togo will undergo shutdown from 09:00 to 15:00, concluding the comprehensive exercise.

    WAPCo, as mandated by the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGP), is required to conduct periodic Emergency Shut Down and HIPPS Proof Tests to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the pipeline.

    The company emphasizes that these tests are part of its 2024 Scheduled Maintenance activities, collaboratively planned with key stakeholders in the four countries and sanctioned by WAGPA.

    WAPCo has proactively informed all relevant stakeholders in advance, sharing the schedule to ensure alignment and minimal disruption.

    The company expresses its apologies to customers for any inconvenience caused by this planned regulatory shutdown, which is essential for compliance.

  • Nigeria and Germany sign gas supply deal

    Nigeria and Germany sign gas supply deal

    Nigeria and Germany agreed to work together on a deal that will send more gas to Germany. The deal also includes $500 million in renewable energy investments for Nigeria.

    Nigeria’s leader said that a gas contract was approved at a business conference in Berlin between Riverside LNG project in the Niger Delta and a German company called Johannes Schuetze Energy Import.

    David Ige, who is helping with the Nigerian project, said they will send a lot of energy from Nigeria to Germany each year. At first, it will be 850,000 tons, but it will increase to 1. 2 million tons later on. The first gas from the agreement will be sent to Germany in 2026.

    The Union Bank of Nigeria and the DWS Group agreed for the German company to invest $500 million in renewable energy projects in Nigeria.

    Germany is talking to Siemens, a big electronics company, to help Nigeria make its electricity supply better because Nigeria often has no power. This was reported by German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

    German leader Olaf Scholz promised to give more money to help Nigeria’s important minerals and energy industries when he talked with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja in October.

  • Professor IIedare advocates investing oil and Gas revenue for wellbeing of citizens

    Professor IIedare advocates investing oil and Gas revenue for wellbeing of citizens

    A Petroleum Economist at the University of Cape Coast, Professor Wumi Iledare, has urged African leaders to focus on utilizing oil and gas revenue for economic and social investments that enhance the well-being of their citizens.

    He expressed concern that the current allocation of oil revenues to political interests has led to a lack of essential infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, roads, and electricity.

    Professor IIedare made these remarks in Accra at the 2nd Offshore Africa Energy Summit, organized by Offshore Africa Magazine, where experts discussed crucial issues in the petroleum industry and provided sustainable solutions to sector challenges.

    Emphasizing the importance of strategic investments in the oil and gas sector for Africa’s economic development, Professor IIedare highlighted the need for revenue to be directed towards training Africans, enabling them to play significant roles in oil and gas exploration and production.

    Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, reiterated the significance of the energy sector in Ghana’s net-zero ambitions and highlighted the National Energy Transition Framework, developed with input from various stakeholders to address the country’s energy transition challenges.

    “Notwithstanding our commit­ment to our net-zero ambitions as a country, our quest for energy transition must be approached with a great deal of circumspection. We must carefully examine it in the context of the reality of the current stage of Africa’s current circumstances and growth trajecto­ry. This has even become more im­perative given today’s global energy crisis anchored heavy disruptions in the global supply chain,” he said.

    He emphasized that, according to a 2019 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, historical cumulative net anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in Africa accounted for eight percent of the world’s emissions. In comparison, Europe and North America contributed 16 percent and 23 percent, respectively. Dr. Prempeh noted that the report indicated approximately two percent of Africa’s emissions originated from fossil fuels and industry, whereas more than 15 percent of emissions in Europe and America were attributed to fossil fuels and industrial activities.

    “Clearly this gap must be considered in decision-making regarding the global energy transition.

    “Even though we, in Africa, are the least emitters, we tend to be at the receiving end the most, because our agrarian and resource-driven economies are susceptible to the effects of climate change, and our capacity to withstand its shocks is weak,” he said.

  • Nigeria’s govt suffers N847b loss due to gas flaring – NOSDRA

    Between January 2022 and August 2023, the Nigerian government incurred losses of approximately N843 billion due to gas flaring, according to data from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

    NOSDRA’s latest gas flare report revealed that oil and gas companies operating in the country flared 147.1 billion standard cubic feet (SCF) of gas, valued at $514.9 million or about N390 billion (based on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s current exchange rate of N757.5 to a dollar) from January to August 2022.

    Similarly, from January to August 2023, these companies flared 171.1 billion SCF of gas valued at approximately $599 million or N453 billion.

    This totals to about N847 billion lost between the same periods in 2022 and 2023.

    The report reveals that during the first eight months of this year, the volume of gas flared was 16.28% higher compared to the same period in 2022. This gas flaring in the initial eight months of this year had the potential to generate 17,100 gigawatts/hour of electricity while emitting 9.1 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

    Furthermore, the report points out that the responsible companies were subject to penalties totaling $342 million, approximately N251 billion. However, it’s worth noting that a significant portion of these penalties was never collected by the Federal Government.

    In contrast, during the period between January and August 2022, the oil firms faced penalties of about $294 million (N223 billion). During this time, the gas that was lost had the potential to generate 14,700 GWh of electricity, with an equivalent carbon dioxide emission of 7,800 tonnes.

    Some of the companies responsible for these actions, as mentioned by NOSDRA, include Shell Petroleum Development Company, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, Chevron Nigeria, Mobil Oil, Elf Petroleum Nigeria, Nigeria Agip Oil Company, Addax Petroleum, Texaco Overseas (Nigeria), Cromwell, and South Atlantic Petroleum, among others.

    These companies flared gas from Oil Mining Leases 04, 05, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 22, 28, 23, 24, 38, 40, 42, 43, 72, 49, 54, 90, 95, 67, 70, 104, 59, 99, 100, 101, 102 and Oil Prospecting Licenses 222, 316 and 306, among others.

    The report comes on the heels of FG’s pledge to the United Nations in 2020, to attain zero gas flare by 2060, ten years after the UN’s 2050 target.

  • Tullow bolsters local involvement in oil and gas industry

    Tullow bolsters local involvement in oil and gas industry


    In line with its commitment to promoting local content participation in Ghana’s oil and gas sector, Tullow has joined forces with the Upstream Petroleum Business Academy of the Petroleum Commission (PC) to provide training to local suppliers.

    The training, themed “Closing the Gap Workshop on Reverse Auctions,” was conducted by Tullow’s Chief Procurement Officer, Atul Sahay, alongside representatives from the Petroleum Commission and Tullow Ghana. The session, attended by 150 suppliers, offered comprehensive insights into Reverse Auctions, their significance in the tendering and contracting processes within the industry’s supply chain, and the broader benefits of such auctions, reinforced through case studies.

    Sarah Quayson Danquah, Director of Localisation at the Petroleum Commission, expressed strong support for building a robust local capacity within the sector during her remarks at the training session. She commended Tullow for its commitment to nurturing a competitive local supplier base.

    Atul Sahay, Chief Procurement Officer at Tullow, stated, “Our commitment is to develop the capacity and competence of local suppliers in the oil and gas industry in Ghana. We remain committed, as a company, to creating a sustainable and progressive marketplace for current and prospective suppliers who want to play a key role in the industry.”

    Local content has consistently been a fundamental aspect of Ghana’s thriving oil and gas sector since the discovery of commercial oil reserves in 2007. Tullow, with its long-standing presence in Ghana, has been a pivotal advocate for this cause for fifteen years.

    During a subsequent Market Day event organized for suppliers, Cynthia Lumor, Deputy Managing Director for Ghana at Tullow, emphasized the company’s commitment to promoting local participation, recognizing its vital role in the country’s growth, development, and prosperity.

    In 2022, Tullow’s expenditure with local suppliers reached a total of $173 million, with $169 million allocated to Ghana alone, constituting 15% of the company’s local procurement spend (14% in Ghana). Over the past five years, Tullow’s total spending in this category has amounted to approximately $1.2 billion. Furthermore, the company currently employs over 72% of local nationals in Ghana, with a pledge to achieve a target of 90% within the next three to five years.

  • Ghana to upgrade its gas infrastructure to guarantee energy security

    Ghana to upgrade its gas infrastructure to guarantee energy security

    In order to strengthen Ghana’s energy security, the Chief Executive of the Ghana Upstream Petroleum Chamber, David Ampofo, has emphasized the crucial need of improving domestic gas utilisation and developing the country’s gas infrastructure.

    He pointed out that despite natural gas’ crucial role in the nation’s energy system, its full potential has yet to be realized.

    He emphasized that one of the major obstacles is the urgent requirement for a clear gas pricing mechanism. This degree of clarity is thought to be crucial for directing investments, facilitating effective planning, and supporting coordinated implementation within the sector.

    “There is no business to be done if there is no agreed price for goods and services. Domestic gas supplies need harnessing and some big decisions need to be made that enable the required investment to take place,” he stated.

    He pledged Upstream Petroleum Chamber’s commitment to facilitating a favorable business environment for both local and international investors venturing into the oil and gas sector.

    The industry holds immense untapped potential, both onshore and offshore. Realizing its full potential begins with exploration.

    In this context, he emphasized the increasing importance of harnessing natural gas, alongside oil, to ensure energy self-sufficiency, acknowledging that work remains to be done in this regard.

    Additionally, Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh acknowledged the influence of the global transition towards cleaner energy in the oil and gas sector.

    “Businesses operate within a policy framework that determines to a large extent how they thrive. The more detailed, predictable and consistent government policy is, the better for industry. Oil and gas companies are keen to work with government to address constraints facing the industry,” he added.

    He pledged Upstream Petroleum Chamber’s commitment to facilitating a favorable business environment for both local and international investors venturing into the oil and gas sector.

    The industry holds immense untapped potential, both onshore and offshore. Realizing its full potential begins with exploration.

    In this context, he emphasized the increasing importance of harnessing natural gas, alongside oil, to ensure energy self-sufficiency, acknowledging that work remains to be done in this regard.

    Additionally, Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh acknowledged the influence of the global transition towards cleaner energy in the oil and gas sector.

    He said: “The energy transition is increasingly influencing investments and strategies are diverging. Funding for petroleum projects has become scarce, whereas that for clean energy is abundant.”

    As a result of these limitations, he observed that numerous International Oil Companies (IOCs) and international financial institutions, which were traditionally pivotal in supporting exploration and production activities in Africa, have been compelled to shift their business priorities towards cleaner energy projects due to security concerns.

    In light of these challenges, including technical capacity constraints affecting the oil and gas sector, he emphasized the necessity of turning to indigenous companies, including local financial institutions, to advance hydrocarbon resource development.

    Nevertheless, he lamented that the majority of these indigenous companies lack the comprehensive capabilities required for oil and gas exploration and production, and even the few that possess such capabilities tend to be risk-averse.

    Among other things, the minister also observed that if the demand and support from Western countries (for hydrocarbon products) is not forthcoming: “It might be difficult if not impossible for us to continue exploring and producing our hydrocarbon resources”.

    This issue was attributed to the insufficient market and infrastructure available across the continent for the processing, storage, transportation, and transformation of hydrocarbons.

    However, he emphasized that progress could be achieved by enhancing market and infrastructure development, which would enable support and trade among African nations.

    Samuel Atta Akyea, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, also underscored the economic potential of the oil and gas industry during the event. While acknowledging the significance of ongoing discoveries, including those in the Voltaian Basin, he expressed frustration with the pace of resource development and urged private-sector partnerships to expedite the process.

    This year’s Ghana Oil and Gas Conference, an annual gathering of industry stakeholders to address emerging challenges, revolved around the theme ‘Ghana’s Oil and Gas Industry: Prospects and Opportunities.’

  • Cost of fuel will not change in September’s first pricing window

    Cost of fuel will not change in September’s first pricing window

    The first two weeks of September should see no rise in fuel costs, according to the Institute for Energy Security. The Institute claims that this is a result of the drop in the price of petroleum products on a global scale.

    Another major factor mentioned was the Ghana cedi’s recent appearance of stability in the second pricing window of August 2023.

    “The various finished petroleum products as monitored on the Standard & Poor (S&P) Platt platform within the past window exhibited the following dynamics; Gasoline [petrol] traded at $989.48 per metric tonne against the previous $967.29 per metric tonne.

    “Gasoil [diesel] also moved from $901.73 per metric tonne to $912.68, and Liquid Petroleum Gas price moved to $557.05 per metric from $547.52 per metric tonne. These changes led to price effect of 2.29%, 0.13%, and 1.7% increase in all 3 product prices; Gasoline, Gasoil, and LPG respectively,” it said.

    Also, the IES Economic Desk’s analysis of the “foreign exchange (forex) market, over the last two weeks claimed that the Ghana cedi depreciated against the U.S. dollar moving from ¢11.39 to ¢11.45, representing 0.52% depreciation of Ghana cedi over the period”, it added.

    Fuel prices increased by the following margins during the second pricing window of August: 5% for diesel and 3.90% for gasoline.

    Currently, the national average price for a litre of gasoline is 13.02, for a kilogram of LPG it is 13.14, and for a liter of diesel it is 12.85.

    As of August 28, 2023, Brent Crude was selling for $84.48 per barrel, with a $84.16 average price per barrel.

  • US$500, €590 owned by a Ghana Gas official reportedly stolen at Russia-Africa summit – Report

    US$500, €590 owned by a Ghana Gas official reportedly stolen at Russia-Africa summit – Report

    At the recently concluded Russia-Africa summit held in St. Petersburg from 28th to 29th March, an undisclosed member of Ghana’s delegation experienced a loss of money from their hotel room.

    The summit saw the gathering of various African leaders and government representatives who engaged with the Russian president and other high-ranking officials.

    Ukrainian journalist Igor Suskho reported that several guests at the event had incidents of burglary recorded in their hotel rooms.

    “Russia: 3 attendees of the Russia-Africa Summit from Ghana, Burundi, and Argentina found their hotel rooms burglarized in St. Petersburg. $500 and €590 in cash stolen from the hotel room of an executive from Ghana’s gas company,” his tweet read.

    Ghana participated in the summit, but GhanaWeb’s verification revealed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was not present in the family photo taken at the conclusion of the event.

    The leader of the Ghanaian delegation remains unidentified, despite GhanaWeb obtaining documents indicating the presence of a substantial delegation consisting of government officials and private sector representatives.

    This 2023 edition of the Russia-Africa summit marks the second occurrence following the initial summit in Sochi in 2019.

  • GNGC resolves gas supply reduction

    GNGC resolves gas supply reduction

    Ghana National Gas Limited Company (GNGC) has announced the resolution of the unplanned natural gas supply reduction to power generation companies on July 7, 2023.

    According to the Head of Corporate Communications, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bepah, the temporary shutdown of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on that day was due to an on-site power generation system issue, causing 30% reduction in gas delivery to downstream power and non-power customers.

    However, the engineers and third-party contractors diligently worked for five hours to restore normal operations. During the outage, Ghana Gas implemented emergency measures, including mobile power generation units, to ensure continued gas supply to power generation companies.

    “We would like to reassure the general public that the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant was restarted at 5: 30 PM on Friday, 7th July, 2023 and has since been in full, and uninterrupted operation.

    “Ghana National Gas Limited Company’s policy of continuous improvement of our processes, enables us to strengthen our business as the strategic partner of the various power generation companies, serving the people of Ghana.

    “We deeply regret any inconvenience suffered by our cherished consumers,” the statement stressed.

  • Moscow to work with Qatar on stabilising gas market: Putin

    Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is interested in working closely with Qatar to ensure stability in the global gas market during a call with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Kremlin said.

    Putin congratulated Qatar on hosting the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which kicks off this weekend.

    FIFA banned Russia, which hosted the previous tournament in 2018, from participating in its competitions earlier this year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Source: Aljazeera.com

  • Vladmir Putin: Germany unlikely to accept Russian gas

    Putin says Germany is unlikely to take Russian gas via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline’s one remaining undamaged line, two days after Berlin rejected his initial offer.

    “A decision has not been made, and it’s unlikely to be made, but that’s no longer our business; it’s the business of our partners,” Putin said.

    The Nord Stream pipelines, intended to carry gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, suffered unexplained damage, which European countries have called sabotage.

    But while Putin said on Wednesday that Russian gas could still be supplied to Europe through the one remaining intact line of the uncommissioned Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a German government spokesman ruled this out.

    “They have to decide what is more important for them: fulfilling some kind of alliance commitment, as they see it, or safeguarding their national interests,” Putin said.

     

  • Egypt, Greece call gas deal between Libya and Turkey ‘illegal’

    Egypt’s and Greece’s foreign ministers met Sunday in Cairo following controversial maritime and gas deals that their shared rival Turkey signed with a Libyan leader, officials said.

    Cairo and Athens have strengthened ties in recent years, including cooperation in developing energy resources, combating terrorism, and signing new maritime border agreements with Cyprus.

    At a joint news conference, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shukry, focused on the memorandums of understanding between Turkey and Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the leader of one of two competing governments in divided Libya.

    He said such agreements were a threat to regional stability.

    The deals, signed last week in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, include the joint exploration of hydrocarbon reserves in Libya’s offshore waters and national territory.

    Dendias slammed the deals as illegal, saying they infringed on Greek waters.

    The Egyptian foreign minister, meanwhile, said Dbeibah’s government has no authority to conclude such deals, given that its mandate expired following Libya’s failure to hold nationwide elections in December last year.

    He called for the U.N. to take a clear position on the legitimacy of Dbeibah’s government, saying the international body should not keep silent.

    Turkey’s agreements with Dbeibah’s government came three years after another controversial agreement between Ankara and a former Tripoli government. That 2019 deal granted Turkey access to a contested economic zone in the gas-rich eastern Mediterranean Sea, fueling Turkey’s pre-existing tensions with Greece, Cyprus and Egypt over drilling rights in the region.

    Dendias said the two ministers also discussed developments in the Aegean Sea, in reference to tensions with Turkey over the alleged deployment of dozens of U.S.-made armored vehicles by Greece to the Aegean islands of Samos and Lesbos.

    There were no immediate comments from Turkey or Dbeibah’s government.

    Source: Africanews

  • Nigeria to award flared gas contracts by end of 2022

    Nigeria will award contracts for its flared gas by the end of December under an accelerated programme to harness gas that is released as a byproduct of oil production, its petroleum regulator has said.

    President Muhammadu Buhari first launched the programme to auction rights to capture and sell flared gas in 2016. Four years later, the government approved 200 bidders but the process was stalled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

    On Sunday, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission chief executive Gbenga Komolafe said the auction was being restarted and would be open to previous applicants and new bidders.

    “The auction process has been streamlined to enable an accelerated delivery schedule for this exercise with the announcement of winners planned for December 2022,” Komolafe said in a statement.

    The government has said flaring costs it roughly $1bn a year in lost revenue. The gas can be used in power plants, in industry or exported.

    Last month, Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva said Nigeria’s plan to commercialise gas burned from its oilfields was at an advanced stage and would help cut 15 million tonnes of carbon emissions from the atmosphere.

    Nigeria, which has Africa’s largest gas reserves of more than 190 trillion cubic feet, first targeted gas flaring in the late 1970s and, through various schemes and regulations, has more than halved it since 2001.

    Source: Aljazeera

     

  • Tullow, government to conclude 200 MMcf/d gas supply deal

    Tullow Ghana is confident of reaching a gas commercial deal with government that will see the company supply a minimum 200 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMcf/d) over the next 13 years.

    The company has been supplying foundation gas to the state at no cost since it began operations in Ghana. The free 200 billion standard cubic feet (bcf) of gas is forecast to come to an end at the end of this year based on current forecasts.

    Given that those foundation volumes will expire soon, the company is now seeking to commercialise its gas from the Jubilee and TEN Fields – estimated at around two trillion (tcf). Based on this forecast, Tullow Ghana’s Managing Director Wissam Al Monthiry said his outfit can supply 200 MMcf/d over the 13-year period.

    “We have identified significant gas prospects on what we have been producing so far as associated gas from Jubilee; somewhere in the range of two tcf of gas that may be available from TEN and Jubilee.

    “Our goal is to commercialise those volumes and bring them to use for to benefit the country, be it in the power or manufacturing sectors,” Mr. Al Monthiry told the B&FT.

    He revealed that positive discussions are ongoing with government for a deal to supply the gas at a fee, which will be the lowest among all available options to the country when the foundation volumes expire.

    An agreement will pave the way for new capital investment into facilities and pipelines to carry the resource.

    It will also lend credence to government’s commitment to developing and effectively utilising domestic hydrocarbon resources for economic transformation.

    “These are new, untapped resources that will require approvals from government to develop, drill wells; build facilities to bring the gas to market, to onshore – and then be able to get them through pipelines to their end users, be it in power or manufacturing. So there are investment requirements,” Mr. Al Monthiry added.

    Gas remains crucial to Ghana’s industrial aspirations. For instance, thermal power plants – gas powered plants, account for the largest share of the country’s power generation, representing 66 percent with hydro accounting for 33 percent. However, a large portion of Ghana’s thermal needs come from imports.

    The country’s ability to develop its domestic gas resources, according to many market watchers, could springboard the economy into an era of sustained energy security and industrialisation.

    If holistically harnessed, the country could also become a net gas exporter by taking advantage of the energy crisis faced by the European Union bloc.

    In the global energy transition process, gas is seen as the future of the oil industry as it is considered a cleaner energy source relative to other fossils.

    Racing against time

    The deal was first mooted earlier this year in the oil firm’s last annual report. As explained by Tullow Ghana’s MD, reaching an agreement before end of this year is of the essence.

    “Our priority is coming to an agreement that commercialises it, and our concern is that if we don’t get to a place of agreement, certainly by the end of this year, then that leaves a large volume of gas uncontracted, unagreed for – and leaves the country with the need to access much more expensive gas.”

    The need to reach a deal before end of the year, he explains, is also underpinned by the fact that these are new resources which require new investments into facilities and pipelines. A deal will therefore pave the way for these capital commitments to take place in time to ensure continuous gas supply.

    “There’s a lot of issues at play,” he said while responding to a question on the progress of discussions with government.

    “There are multiple parties in the mix beyond the Ministry of Energy. There’s the Ghana National Petroleum Company, there’s the Ghana National Gas Company. There are also some private companies that have gotten involved in the mix, particularly downstream.

    “But I think we all, including Tullow, need to push harder to make sure that we get it over the line and get an agreement.

    “And I think I would be speaking for anyone from government by saying that all these stakeholder considerations have slowed things down. But we don’t want that to get in the way of government and Ghanaian consumers accessing the lowest-cost gas available.

    “So it’s a positive response, but I think all of us including Tullow need to push harder to make sure that we get it over the line and get an agreement.”

    In the worst-case scenario, he said, it will deny government and Ghanaian gas-consumers access to the lowest-cost gas available.

    Such a situation could also send a bad signal to other investors looking to explore opportunities in the country’s petroleum upstream industry.

     

  • Russia shuts major gas pipeline to Europe

    Russia has completely halted gas supplies to Europe via a major pipeline, saying repairs are needed.

    The Russian state-owned energy giant, Gazprom, said the restrictions on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would last for the next three days.

    Russia has already significantly reduced gas exports via the pipeline.

    It denies accusations it has used energy supplies as a weapon of war against Western countries.

    The Nord Stream 1 pipeline stretches 1,200km (745 miles) under the Baltic Sea from the Russian coast near St Petersburg to north-eastern Germany.

    It opened in 2011, and can send a maximum of 170m cubic metres of gas per day from Russia to Germany.

    The pipeline was shut down for 10 days in July – again for repairs, according to Russia – and has recently been operating at just 20% capacity because of what Russia describes as faulty equipment.

    The president of Germany’s network regulator has said the country will be able to cope – if Russia resumes delivery in the coming days.

    “I assume that we will be able to cope with it,” Klaus Mueller told Reuters. “I trust that Russia will return to 20% on Saturday, but no one can really say.”

    European leaders fear Russia could extend the outage in an attempt to drive up gas prices, which have already risen sharply in the past year.

    The steep rise threatens to create a cost of living crisis over the winter months, potentially forcing governments to spend billions to ease the burden.

    On Tuesday, French Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher accused Russia of “using gas as a weapon of war”.

    She was speaking after Gazprom said it would suspend gas deliveries to the French energy company Engie.

    But Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has rejected the accusations – and insisted that Western sanctions have caused the interruptions by damaging Russian infrastructure.

    He insisted that that “technological problems” caused by sanctions are the only thing preventing Russia from supplying gas via the pipeline, without specifying what the problems were.

    The most recent controversy has been over a turbine which arrived in Germany after being repaired in Canada and which Russia refused to take back, arguing it was subject to the Western sanctions.

    Germany, however, denies this.

    Earlier this month, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said the pipeline was fully operational and said there were no technical issues as claimed by Russia.

    Earlier this week, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to intervene in energy markets, telling a conference in Slovenia that they are “no longer fit for purpose”.

    “We need a new market model for electricity that really functions and brings us back into balance,” she said.

    Before the conflict, Germany had approved the €10bn (£8.4bn) Nord Stream 2 pipeline – which runs parallel to its namesake – but halted operations after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February.

    Last week, the BBC revealed that Russia has been burning off an estimated $10m (£8.4m) worth of gas every day at a plant near the Finnish border.

     

    Map showing the route of the Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany.
    Source: BBC

  • Cold showers as the German city of Hanover reacts to Russian gas crisis

    The German city of Hanover has turned off the heating and switched to cold showers in all public buildings because of the Russian gas crisis.

    It’s the first big city to turn off the hot water after Russia dramatically reduced Germany‘s gas supply.

    Germans have been told to expect sweeping gas reduction measures and extra charges on their energy bills.

    And the EU has agreed to lower the demand for Russian gas this winter by 15%.

    In a bid to save energy, Germany’s northern city of Hanover has decided hot water will no longer be available for hand washing in public buildings, or in showers at swimming pools, sports halls, and gyms.

    Public fountains are also being switched off to save energy, and there will be no night-time lights on major buildings such as the town hall and museums.

    Mayor Belit Onay said the goal was to reduce the city’s energy consumption by 15% in reaction to an “imminent gas shortage” which posed a significant challenge for big cities.

    The rules apply to heating, too. Public buildings will not have any heating from April to the end of September each year, with room temperatures limited to a maximum of 20C for the rest of the year – with some exemptions.

    The city is also banning portable air conditioners, heaters, and radiators.

    The policy is in line with announcements from Berlin last week, as Germany races to build up its reserves ahead of the winter. Other cities - such as Augsburg in Bavaria – have already introduced their own measures such as turning off public fountains.

    The 15% reduction target in Hanover matches the EU-wide goal to reduce reliance on Russian gas.

    And on Thursday, Germany confirmed that a planned gas surcharge on customers could be much higher than previously expected, to try to ensure energy companies do not go bankrupt in the coming months. “We can’t say yet how much gas will cost in November, but the bitter news is it’s definitely a few hundred euros per household,” said Economy Minister Robert Habeck.

    Some reports said the levy could cost families an extra €500 (£420) a year.

    Germany has long relied on Russian gas for its energy needs but has recently accused Russia of restricting the flow in retaliation for EU sanctions over the war in Ukraine – something Russia denies.

    Russian gas supplies now account for about a quarter of the nation’s needs, compared with more than half before the war.

  • Gas prices soar as Russia cuts German supply

    Gas prices have soared after Russia cut gas supplies to Germany and other central European countries after threatening to earlier this week. Further

    European gas prices rose 9%, trading close to their earlier all-time high after Russia invaded Ukraine.

    Critics accuse the Russian government of using gas as a political weapon.

    Russia has been cutting flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, with it now operating at less than a fifth of its normal capacity.

    Germany imports 55% of its gas from Russia and most of it comes through Nord Stream 1 – with the rest coming from land-based pipelines.

    Russian energy firm Gazprom has sought to justify the latest cut by saying it was needed to allow maintenance work on a turbine.

    The German government, however, said there was no technical reason for it to limit the supply.

    Ukraine has accused Moscow of waging a “gas war” against Europe and cutting supplies to inflict “terror” on people.

    The latest reduction in flows puts pressure on EU countries to reduce their dependence on Russian gas even further, and will likely make it more difficult for them to replenish their gas supplies ahead of winter.

    Since the invasion of Ukraine European leaders has held talks over how to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels.

    Map showing the Nord Stream pipelines from Russia

    On Tuesday, the European Union agreed to cut gas use in case Russia halts supplies but some countries will have exemptions to avoid rationing.

    EU members have now agreed to voluntarily reduce 15% of gas use between August and March.

    However, the deal was watered down after previously not having exemptions.

    The EU has said its aim of the deal is to make savings and store gas ahead of winter, warning that Russia is “continuously using energy supplies as a weapon”.

    The voluntary agreement would become mandatory if supplies reach crisis levels.

    The EU agreed in May to ban all Russian oil imports which come in by sea by the end of this year, but a deal over gas bans has taken longer.

    Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February the price of wholesale gas has already soared, with a knock-on impact on consumer energy bills across the globe.

    The Kremlin blames the price hike on Western sanctions, insisting it is a reliable energy partner and not responsible for the recent disruption to gas supplies.

    While the UK would not be directly impacted by gas supply disruption, as it imports less than 5% of its gas from Russia, it would be affected by prices rising in the global markets as demand in Europe increases.

    UK gas prices rose 7% on Wednesday, almost six times higher than a year ago, but still 20% below the peak seen in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    UK energy bills increased by an unprecedented £700 in April, and are expected to rise again to £3,244 a year for a typical household in October.

    Gas prices have soared after Russia further cut gas supplies to Germany and other central European countries after threatening to earlier this week.

    European gas prices rose 9%, trading close to their earlier all-time high after Russia invaded Ukraine.

    Critics accuse the Russian government of using gas as a political weapon.

    Russia has been cutting flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, with it now operating at less than a fifth of its normal capacity.

    Germany imports 55% of its gas from Russia and most of it comes through Nord Stream 1 – with the rest coming from land-based pipelines.

    Russian energy firm Gazprom has sought to justify the latest cut by saying it was needed to allow maintenance work on a turbine.

    The German government, however, said there was no technical reason for it to limit the supply.

    Ukraine has accused Moscow of waging a “gas war” against Europe and cutting supplies to inflict “terror” on people.

    The latest reduction in flows puts pressure on EU countries to reduce their dependence on Russian gas even further, and will likely make it more difficult for them to replenish their gas supplies ahead of winter.

    Since the invasion of Ukraine European leaders has held talks over how to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels

    On Tuesday, the European Union agreed to cut gas use in case Russia halts supplies but some countries will have exemptions to avoid rationing.

    EU members have now agreed to voluntarily reduce 15% of gas use between August and March.

    However, the deal was watered down after previously not having exemptions.

    The EU has said its aim of the deal is to make savings and store gas ahead of winter, warning that Russia is “continuously using energy supplies as a weapon”.

    The voluntary agreement would become mandatory if supplies reach crisis levels.

    The EU agreed in May to ban all Russian oil imports which come in by sea by the end of this year, but a deal over gas bans has taken longer.

    Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February the price of wholesale gas has already soared, with a knock-on impact on consumer energy bills across the globe.

    The Kremlin blames the price hike on Western sanctions, insisting it is a reliable energy partner and not responsible for the recent disruption to gas supplies.

    While the UK would not be directly impacted by gas supply disruption, as it imports less than 5% of its gas from Russia, it would be affected by prices rising in the global markets as demand in Europe increases.

    UK gas prices rose 7% on Wednesday, almost six times higher than a year ago, but still 20% below the peak seen in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    UK energy bills increased by an unprecedented £700 in April, and are expected to rise again to £3,244 a year for a typical household in October.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Blame police for gas shortages Ghanaians told

    The National Chair of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union, Bernard Owusu has blamed the strike action of gas tanker drivers on a few bad nuts in the Ghana Police Service.

    Parts of the Greater Accra, Western and Central Regions were hit by an acute shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

    The situation left consumers who depend on LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes stranded.

    According to Bernard Owusu, the continuous harassment of gas tanker drivers by the police is what led them to go on strike which inadvertently affected the ordinary Ghanaian.

    “We have faced some issues in the past few months and that is what we were working on resolving. The Police always harass our drivers whenever they load products from the Atoabo Gas Plant to Tema. They take money from them and conduct unnecessary checks frustrating our drivers”.

    He furthered that these checks were meant to be done by the Customs division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and not the police. “So we went to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and complained to them about these harassments. They assured us they will resolve the issue but nothing happened, hence, our strike action”.

    The National Chair of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union disclosed that the union had met with the Labour Ministry which had promised to address their concerns in the next two weeks. “We have resumed duty and Ghanaians will get their gas and we expect the Labour Ministry to resolve issues in two weeks as promised”, he told Sefa Danquah on the Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.

    In a press release dated Sunday, November 1, 2020, signed by the leadership of the General Transport Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU), Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union (GNPTDU), Gas Tanker Drivers Union (GTDU) and the Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Bright Wireko-Brobbey, the drivers announced their resumption of duty.

    “Following a sit-down strike by members of the Gas Tanker Drivers Union (GTDU) from 29th October 2020, an emergency meeting was held between the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) under the directive of the Minister on one hand and the Ghana Transport Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) of GTUC, Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union (GNPTDU), Liquified Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies (LPGMC), Ghana LPG Operators Association (GLiPGOA) and Oil Marketing Companies of Liquified Petroleum Gas (OMCLPG) on the other hand on Sunday, 1st November, 2020 to resolve the impasse,” the press release announcing the calling off of the strike said.

    “The Ministry assures the general public that the drivers have resumed duty with immediate effect as the government takes steps to resolve the matter with all the urgency that it deserves,” it added.

    Source: Happy 98.9FM

  • Consumers stranded as gas shortage hits parts of Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions

    Consumers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas have been left stranded as parts of the Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions have been hit with an acute shortage of supply.

    Domestic and commercial consumers of LPG in the affected areas have had no supply since Wednesday, October 28, 2020, after the Gas Tanker Drivers Union declared a sit-down strike on Thursday, October 29, 2020.

    Among the affected consumers include some commercial drivers who use LPG as a source of fuel. The affected drivers have called for an immediate solution to the situation as it has taken a toll on their business.

    In a related development, the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in a statement released on Sunday, November 1, 2020, said the situation is expected to be brought back to normalcy as the Gas Tanker Drivers Union has resumed full scale working after a stakeholders meeting was held.

    The emergency meeting was held between the Ministry, the Gas Tanker Drivers Union, the Ghana Transport Petroleum and Chemical Drivers Union as well as the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies.

    The Ministry, whiles expressing gratitude to the drivers for accepting to resume work, also assured the public that government remains committed to ensuring that the matter is resolved with the urgency it deserves.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Gas tanker drivers embark on sit-down strike

    Members of the Gas Tanker Drivers Association have embarked on a sit-down strike over the failure of the authorities to address myriad concerns facing them.

    Engaging the media at a press conference in Tema on Thursday, 22 July 2020, the aggrieved gas drivers raised four major issues that necessitated their strike.

    The drivers, apart from the “abysmal salaries” they are paid due to the moratorium on the establishment of new gas stations as a result of the Atomic Junction gas explosion, the police in the Western and Central Regions have been harassing them by demanding BNI and UPPF documents, which can only be accessed from Tema.

    As a result, the police, they noted, extort between GHS200 and GHS1,000 from them or detain them unjustifiably.

    Also, the angry gas drivers are calling on the National Petroleum Authority to halt the ongoing cylinder recirculation piloting exercise, describing it as a failure and wanton dissipation of state resources.

    Instead, they are calling on the NPA to rather institute safety measures to strengthen the existing usage of gas cylinder.

    The drivers say they will continue with their strike until the issues above are addressed.

    Source: Class FM

  • Two dead as fire rages after India gas well blowout

    Two workers have been found dead near the site of a huge fire ignited by gas that has been spewing from an oil field in India for two weeks, officials said Wednesday.

    A wall of flames and smoke continues to roar into the sky a day after the gas triggered an explosion at the well run by state-owned Oil India in the northeastern state of Assam.

    “Unfortunately, we have lost two dedicated oilmen in the line of duty. Their bodies were found from the pond nearby,” Oil India spokesman Tridiv Hazarika told AFP.

    Hazarika said the men were Oil India staff operating at the site as company firefighters and appeared to have jumped into the water at the time of Tuesday’s blast.

    Another firefighter suffered minor injuries.

    The military and national disaster response personnel along with around 200 engineers and workers – including experts from Singapore – are aiming to stem the leak within four weeks, Oil India said.

    Assam’s Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said he had briefed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation.

    There has been no official statement on how much gas has escaped but the company said it was flowing “uncontrollably”.

    The well was producing 100,000 standard cubic metres of gas per day from a depth of 3,870 metres (4,234 yards) before the blowout in late May, according to Oil India.

    Just one kilometre from the well is Maguri-Motapung wetlands, an ecotourism site. State-owned sanctuary Dibru Saikhowa National Park – an area known for migratory birds – is about 2.5 kilometres away.

    Locals and environmentalists say gas condensate is covering the wetlands and nearby waterways, and that dead fish along with the carcass of a dolphin has been found.

    A 1.5-kilometre exclusion zone has been created around the site of the blowout, with about 2,500 people evacuated from their homes.

    Source: france24.com

  • COPEC urges government to cushion oil and gas companies following lockdown

    The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has called on the state to also cushion Oil and Gas Companies following the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

    In a statement, COPEC said a lot of them “are reeling heavily under the harsh effects of our 3 weeks lockdown and subsequent low volumes and revenues which can increase job losses and redundancy within the country.”

    The chamber also called on the National Petroleum Agency (NPA) to also reduce the burden of license renewal fees charged to these companies “to enable them to adjust to the vagaries of the Coronavirus outbreak on their businesses.”

    This is to ensure “they keep fuel prices lower for Ghanaians without the tendency to increase or collect their full margins which can only lead to increases in pump prices.”

    COPEC finally called for an increased moratorium of the next six months for Oil Companies to file returns instead of the current moratorium which runs to July.

    It argued that “sales volumes across the board have reduced significantly and any attempts to enforce the earlier 21 or 45-day collections could only mean going to the banks to borrow which eventually places undue pressures on them to engage in all manner of games to survive.”

    Find below the full statement

    RESOLVE THE GCNET/UNIPASS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY TO CURTAIL ANY FUEL SHORTAGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

    The ongoing challenges in respect of revenue settlement following from a decision to migrate onto a new platform (UNIPASS) from the existing GCNet platform is leading to a lot of challenges with petroleum liftings across depots in the country.

    Oil Marketing Companies ( OMCs ) and the Liquified Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies ( LPGMCs ) that had orders for supply of fuel to various outlets could not load a single litre of fuel all day on Wednesday the 29th of April due to discrepancies in the migration onto the new customs system ( UNIPASS ) at the depots.

    A communique issued earlier yesterday from the NPA indicating a swift response to resolve the issue to enable the liftings seemed not to have yielded as most Oil Marketing Companies and the LPGMCs had to make alternative arrangements to accommodate their drivers who had been dispatched to load products from the depots across the country.

    This situation if left unresolved within the next 24 hours could and will certainly lead to serious fuel shortages across the country.

    One would expect that the new system would have been rolled out gradually side by side with the old system in order to help in facilitating a gradual phasing out of the existing system ( GCNet ) but the seeming haste in abandoning the old system whiles the new system ( UNIPASS) is not fully ready and integrated is clearly leading to discrepancies being witnessed and we wish for a speedy resolution to forestall any possible shortages across the country.

    Our attention has further been drawn to the cutting of staff numbers by some of our Oil Companies due to the adverse effects of Coronavirus on volumes and revenues through a lot of others have refused to lay off.

    In light of the above, we call on the State to ensure the various Oil and Gas Companies are not left out in the announced SME support as a lot are reeling heavily under the harsh effects of our 3 weeks lockdown and subsequent low volumes and revenues which can increase job losses and redundancy within the country.

    We further call on the Regulator of the downstream ( NPA ) to also work out a mechanism to ease down on the heavy license renewal fees charged to these companies to enable them to adjust to the vagaries of the Coronavirus outbreak on their businesses with the view to ensuring they keep fuel prices lower for Ghanaians without the tendency to increase or collect their full margins which can only lead to increases in pump prices.

    Finally, we will like to reiterate an earlier call on the Ghana Revenue Authority to give a moratorium for the next 6 months to Oil Companies instead of the current one spanning up to end of July to file their returns later than the current 45 days since sales volumes across the board has reduced significantly and any attempts to enforce the earlier 21 or 45-day collections could only mean going to the banks to borrow which eventually places undue pressures on them to engage in all manner of games to survive.

    Signed

    Duncan Amoah
    Executive Secretary

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • COPEC, Consumer Protection Agency sue NPA over new levy on LPG

    The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers and the Consumer Protection Agency have sued the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) over the introduction of the Cylinder Recirculation Recovery Margin which will allow LPG operators to start charging 13.5 pesewas for each kilogram of LPG.

    The two companies in their writ of summons argue among others that the NPA failed to consult with various stakeholders before introducing the policy.

    “Plaintiffs state that the failure of the 1st defendant to consult with the service providers before the introduction of the new petroleum pricing formula has led to agitations among such service providers, particularly, the LPG Marketing Companies Association of Ghana (LPGMCs) who have issued a statement calling on the 1st defendant to withdraw the CRM.”

    The plaintiffs are thus seeking a declaration that the Cylinder Recirculation Recovery Margin be declared unlawful on grounds that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NPA, Hassan Tampuli failed to consult the NPA Board before introducing the policy.

    “A declaration that the failure of the 2nd Defendant [Hassan Tampuli] to secure the approval of the 1st Defendant  [NPA] board before announcing the new LPG cylinder recovery margin was unlawful,” portions of the writ said.

    Purpose of Cylinder Recirculation Model

    The NPA on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, directed industry players to begin 13.5 pesewas charge on each kilogram of LPG.

    It also instructed Oil Marketing Companies to increase the levy on Fuel Marking Margin from three pesewas to 4.5 pesewas per litre on every product.

    According to the NPA, the introduction of the Cylinder Recirculation Recovery Margin is to support stakeholders in the supply chain ahead of the implementation of the Cylinder Recirculation Model.

    Although the NPA has justified the move, some industry watchers have however said that both directives are unlawful and must be withdrawn with immediate effect given the impact it will have on the business.

    NPA in its release issued on Friday, April 4, 2020, maintained that such calls are unfortunate because its projection rather shows that for this very pricing window (1st April to 15 April, 2020), consumers are expected to enjoy a price reduction of about 11.56 percent even with the introduction of the Cylinder Recovery Margin.

    “The attention of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has been drawn to a statement issued by the LPG Marketing Companies Association of Ghana (LPGMCs) on the above subject, dated April 3, 2020, calling for the withdrawal of GHp 13.5 Cylinder Recovery Margin which took effect on April 1, 2020. We wish to state categorically that, contrary to their claim that the introduction of the margin will increase the product price at the pumps and thereby burden the consumer, the facts as they stand do not support that.”

    “The margin is, therefore, to assist the marketers to offset some of their financial expenses, in accordance with the full cost recovery principle of petroleum products pricing in Ghana. It is therefore unfortunate for the LPGMCs to hold such a position”, it added.

    The NPA had said it will continue to engage in this and other related issues of mutual concern over the concerns raised regarding tax components on LPG.

    “We are certainly aware of the difficult situation we all find ourselves in at this time, and the last thing we will do is to further burden the consumer with additional taxes. The NPA would, therefore, like to assure members of the general public of our commitment to ensure product availability, affordability, and accessibility, while ensuring the safety of the general public and the business viability of players across the value chain”, the statement concluded.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Scrap obnoxious, ‘nuisance’ increment of LPG Jinapor

    The Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu Constituency in the Northern Region, John Abdulai Jinapor has described the decision by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to implement a Cylinder Recirculation Margin of GHp13.5 per kilogram for LPG at time some parts of the nation are under lockdown due to the fear of spread of the coronavirus as “utter wickedness and the highest level of insensitivity to the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.”

    Mr Jinapor has also alleged that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has further increased the Fuel Marking Margin from GHp3/ltr to GHp4.5/ltr.

    “The imposition of the Cylinder Recirculation Margin coming at a time of Government’s declaration of a partial lockdown of Accra, Tema, Kumasi and parts of the Central Region will only exacerbate the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian,” Mr Jinapor said in a Facebook post.

    He said as a result of the lockdown and the enforcement of the social distancing directives by the President, “Ghanaians are already experiencing very difficult moments as they are unable to generate sufficient income to offset the rising cost of living.”

    In the light of the current happenings Mr Jinapor noted that “rather than burdening the citizenry with such insensitive and draconian policies, the Akuffo-Addo Government must rather demonstrate compassion by initiating policies and programmes that will alleviate the suffering of the ordinary Ghanaian.”

    The lawmaker has, therefore, called on the NPA, as a matter of urgency to “immediately scrap this obnoxious and nuisance increments at this difficult moment.”

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Govt working with Jubilee partners to increase gas production

    The government of Ghana is working together with the Jubilee field partners to ensure constant supply of LPG to avoid gas shortages following the launch of the Cylinder Re-circulation Model, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, a Deputy Energy Minister, has said.

    This, he said will also ensure that the country experiences relative stability in the price of LPG.

    He explained that the Cylinder Re-circulation Model is primarily aimed at reducing LPG-related accidents and will also create more jobs contrary to claims by players in the sector that they will lose their jobs.

    Speaking at the launch of the policy Dr Amin Adam, said : “While we encourage you to adopt the cylinder re-circulation model of LPG, we are also working hard to ensure security of supply of LPG so that we do not have shortages of LPG at anytime or anywhere in the country.

    “Accordingly, we are working with the Jubilee Field partners, the producers of oil from the Jubilee Field, to increase gas production and export from the Jubilee Field to enable us process more than 50 percent of our LPG requirements from domestic sources.

    “This will ensure that we have relative stability in the price of LPG because the Jubilee gas is currently being produced from the free foundation gas volume”.

    To ensure that LPG is adequately available to all customers in the country, government by extract and the National Petroleum Authority, will ensure the decentralization of LPG bottling facilities between major market centers across the country, so apart from bringing the facilities closer to the market and consumers, this will further reduce the administrative cost of transporting LPG over longer distances and the impact it could have on the unified petroleum price”.

    The Chief Executive Officer of the (NPA) Hassan Tampuli, indicated that the NPA has put in place mechanisms to to deal with possible challenges that may arise from the implementation of the policy,

    He also indicated that NPA and its stakeholders will continue risk assessment of all existing structures in other parts of the country before a national roll out of CRM.

    “We believe that before we move forward to roll out the CRM across the country, we will continue to do risk assessment of all existing structures to ensure that customers in different parts where we have not started the pilot will continue to use their LPG in a safe and environmentally friendly manner”.

     

    Source: laudbusiness.com

  • Gas leakage causes panic at Adentan Ritz junction

    An incident of gas leakage at an LPG station at Adentan Ritz junction in Accra on Thursday morning caused panic and raised safety concerns.

    Many motorists on the Adentan-Madina highway turned around to avoid passing through the Ritz junction and that created a panic situation.

    The incident happened around 10:09 am.

    Ghana Gas owes GNPC US$260 million for gas supplied PIAC report

    The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Mr Ellis Robinson Oko confirming the incident explained it was purely “accidental” which fire service personnel were able to bring under control within 20 minutes.

    He said the gas station was discharging LPG from a tanker into bulk storage and the hose developed a problem and caused the gas to leak.

    The leakage spread into the immediate vicinity of the area and was felt in some residential homes and created a panic situation as residents and motorists fled the area to safety.

    Mr Oko said the GNFS was called around 10:09 am and since the nearest fire station at Madina was a few metres away, by 10:10 am they were at the station and managed to bring the situation under control by 10:34 am.

    Flashback on the Atomic gas explosion

    Breach of protocol
    He said the safety protocol was for all LPG stations to call the GNFS for personnel to be on standby whilst discharging from tankers into bulk storage and even though some stations do follow all these protocols, what happened on Thursday morning was “purely accidental.”

    He said if fire personnel had been informed to be on standby, what happened Thursday morning would not have escalated to the extent of people running helter-skelter since it would have been timeously curtailed.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh