Ghana’s gas project will proceed as planned — President Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has given assurance that work on the gas processing facility at Atuabu in the Western Region will continue as scheduled to provide gas by the end of the year.

He said the project was crucial, since it would supply gas for the generation of electricity and for domestic use to ensure energy sustainability in the country.

He said the shortfall in the supply of gas from the West Africa Gas Pipeline, which had resulted in the current load management, was an indication that Ghana could not continue to depend on that pipeline.

President Mahama was addressing the opening session of the 40th General Council Meetings of the Church of Pentecost at the Pentecost Convention Centre at Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region.

The meetings, which are to review the activities of the church and elect new executive members, are being held on the theme: “Worshipping in Spirit and Truth”.

The event also marked the inauguration of the Pentecost Convention Centre.

The centre, built on  250 acres, has a 5,000-capacity auditorium and hostel facilities.

Last month, Sinopec, the Chinese petrochemical company which is constructing the US$700 million gas project, threatened to abandon it if the government failed to honour its financial obligation.

The issue of financial commitment has since been resolved and Sinopec is continuing work on the project.

President Mahama said the country’s energy demand increased by 10 per cent due to increased population and economic growth, adding that the current load management had affected businesses in the country.

He said he had switched on the Takoradi Three (T-3) Thermal Plant to provide 133 megawatts of power, while one of the three units of the Bui Hydroelectric Power project to improve energy generation and reduce the load management had also been switched on.

The President said the government intended to generate 2,000 MW in the next 10 years.

That, he said, would make Ghana energy sufficient and become a net exporter of power.

Touching on developments in the church, President Mahama decried the creeping disunity among Christians in the country and asked them to unite.

He said despite their different denominations, Christians were bound together by their belief in the body of Christ.

President Mahama said the church continued to serve as the conscience of society, as its members were able to bring politicians in line when they were at one another’s throat.

He said Ghana was touted as a beacon of democracy and peace because of the intercessory prayers of religious leaders.

He commended the church for complementing the government’s work in the provision of schools and health facilities throughout the country.

He said although the role of the church was to help in the spiritual well-being of the people, it had provided scholarships for students and boreholes for many people across the country.

President Mahama lauded the Church of Pentecost for putting up one of the largest convention centres in Africa and promised the church that the government would construct the road leading to the centre.

The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, urged Christians and people of other faiths to prepare themselves to accept the Supreme Court’s verdict on the election petition.

He said he knew that many people’s hearts were set on edge, not knowing what the outcome would be for Ghana after the verdict had been given by the Supreme Court.

However, Apostle Dr Onyinah said it was important for the people to trust the Supreme Court judges to administer justice to the nation.

”The opportunity lies with us now to prepare for whatever the verdict will be, either in one’s favour or otherwise. We have done that before. We can prove to the world that we are mature and respect one another.

“I appeal to all Christians and people of other faiths to display our African religiosity, as seen in our belief in and reverence for the Almighty God, to show patience and maturity upon the declaration of the Supreme Court’s ruling,” he said.

Speaking about the development of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Onyinah said the church continued to partner the state in national development in many sectors, including education and health.

Source: Daily Graphic