Otumfuo angry over dumsor …threatens to storm Jubilee House

THE ASANTEHENE, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has said he may be compelled to lead a delegation of Asante chiefs to the Seat of Government, Jubilee House in Accra, if there is no immediate and lasting solution to the inconsistent, unreliable and random supply of electrify to the Ashanti Region, an irritating period of power outages destroying appliances and crippling businesses.

The Asantahe explained that he would use the visit to officially complain to Government about the apparent ineptitude and inefficiency of the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) known for short as Ghana Gas ’ which has resulted in the unresolved power crisis in the Ashanti Region in recent times, with no solution in the foreseeable future.

Otumfuo said he has credible information that Ghana Gas, led by Ben Asante, is partly the cause of the recent power crisis, by simply not not giving enough gas (fuel) to enable the generating companies to produce the needed energy, hence the power cuts in the Ashanti Region.

Otumfuo’s Concern

Otumfuo said Ghana Gas is said to be frustrating a company, engaged by Government to lay pipelines for the construction of a power generating plant in Kumasi.

“The company that is constructing the pipelines for the power generating plant in Kumasi has assured me they have secured a loan for the project to be carried out. Unfortunately, I have learnt that Ghana Gas is frustrating them and I am not happy about it”, Otumfuo, who was looking angry, said at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

According to him, the leadership of the company, tasked by Government to construct the pipelines, recently visited him and from all indications, they are poised to work but Ghana Gas has become an obstacle in their way .

Otumfuo was speaking when the Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh alias ‘Napo’, led a delegation from the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) and the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) to pay a courtesy call on him.

Otumfuo Gives Ultimatum

The Asantehene gave Ghana Gas an ultimatum to change from their weird and unproductive ways, else he (Otumfuo) would officially complain to the president.

“I have repeated myself three times, if the leadership of Ghana Gas fails to take my advise then I will lead a delegation of chiefs to the Presidency and complain”.

Otumfuo, who from his facial expression looked very angry, pointed out that without the supply of gas from Ghana Gas, reliable power supply would not be possible.

He therefore charged the leadership of Ghana Gas to sit up and work assiduously by producing the required gas so as to ensure constant power supply in Ashanti Region.

Napo’s Comments

The Minister responsible for Energy used the occasion to inform Otumfuo that a collapsed pylon had damaged three towers of GRIDCo and that has also been another cause of the recent power challenges in Kumasi.

The Asantehene urged GRIDCo to quickly work on the damaged power transmission lines, and reiterated that Ghana Gas was also not delivering as expected of them.

He told Napo “You are the Minister for Energy, this agency is under you, right from here, your duty is to talk to the Ghana Gas leadership to co-orperate with the company”.

Otumfuo said the company, engaged by government to construct the pipelines for the power generating plant in Kumasi, have told him that they are determined to work”.

The King therefore reiterated his call on the Ghana Gas leadership to, as a matter of urgency, give the needed support to the company for them to work in peace.

Napo apologized to Otumfuo and Asanteman over the power cuts. He gave an assurance that a team of experts were on site re constructing the damaged GRIDCo towers.

The Energy Minister also announced that plans are in the pipeline for the construction of a power generating plant (AMERI) in Kumasi to help improve power supply in the region.