President Mahama promises adequate support to energy sector

President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday promised to provide all the necessary support that would empower the energy sector to be self-reliant and supportive to neighbouring countries.

He said the energy sector was critical and pivotal for national development and, therefore, empowering it would help accelerate the socio-economic development of the country.

President Mahama made the promise when the staff of the Volta River Authority and Electricity Company of Ghana called on him at the Castle, Osu.

The delegation was at the castle to congratulate President Mahama for his investiture as the Fourth President of the Republic of Ghana and also to inform him of the strategies they were adopting to survive in the face of heavy indebtedness.

Before retiring into a closed-door meeting with the delegation, President Mahama said he was aware of the arrangements the companies were making with the Ministry of Finance and would provide the necessary support that would make them break even.

He said the curtailment of power to Benin and Togo had prompted the presidents of the two West African countries to hold meetings to find ways of restoring the commodity to them.

President Mahama said as part of his first assignment after the general election, he held talks with President GoodLuck Jonathan to find ways of re-opening the West African Pipeline Project and gave the assurance that, with time, those challenges would be over.

Mr Kweku Andoh Awortwe, Chief Executive of VRA, who led the delegation, congratulated President Mahama on his inauguration to the highest office of the land and pledged their support for him in his endeavours.

He said there were a lot of challenges which they would share with President Mahama to find solutions to in the coming years.

Earlier on, President John Mahama held a closed-door meeting with Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited and members of the petroleum distribution companies where he pledged to fight the depreciation of the cedi against major currencies to make them comfortable in their operations.

Source: GNA