Akufo-Addo Inaugurates Bolgatanga-Ouagadougou Power Project

By Justice Dzido On Oct 7, 2018

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the 225 kilovolts Bolgatanga to Ouagadougou Power Interconnection Project, which will see about 100 megawatts of power supplied directly to Burkina Faso from Ghana.

At the inauguration ceremony on Friday, 5^th October, 2018, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, President Akufo-Addo stated that the successful completion of this project will strengthen the bonds of friendship and co-operation that exists between the two countries.

The implementation of the project, one of the priority projects of the West African Power Pool, has also achieved the objective of strengthening regional integration under the ECOWAS protocols and the realization of a Regional Electricity Market.

The Minister for Energy, John Peter Amewu, told the gathering, which included the President of Burkina Faso, Roach Marc Christian Kabore, that considering the huge financial outlay for electricity infrastructure, particularly for power generation infrastructure, it is only appropriate that such facilities are shared within the region.

“Implementation of regional projects like this 225kv Bolgatanga-Ouagadougou Interconnection one, would allow for the export of power from Ghana to Burkina Faso to serve the purpose of the creation of the West African Power Pool,” the Energy Minister said.

He was hopeful that upon full completion of the 330kv Aboadze-Prestea-Kumasi-Bolgatanga transmission backbone project, the target of 100 megawatts of power to Burkina Faso will be achieved.

“Ghana currently has adequate capacity for cross border transmission to neighbouring countries. Let us therefore continue to engage one another to make the necessary investments in order to put up the infrastructure that would enable us utilize the resources within the region to push the industrial agenda of our countries,” John Peter Amewu added.

In conclusion, the Minister encouraged power utility companies in West Africa to intensify their collaboration in the development of projects under the West Africa Power Pool, urging “countries within the region to create the necessary atmosphere in order to attract investments in pursuit of common projects.”