Prez Mahama seeks partnership for gas project in Tema

Ghana has asked Qatar Petroleum International (QPI) to explore the opportunity of investing in liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Ghana.

President John Dramani Mahama said at a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the QPI, Mr Nasser Jaida, in Doha, Qatar, yesterday that such an investment would be a win-win affair for both countries.

The President, who is on a three-day state visit to Qatar, said energy supplied through LNG could help generate affordable electricity for bauxite mining and refinery, as well as a smelter in Ghana.

Present at the meeting were the chief executive officers of the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and the Ghana Investment Promotions Centre (GIPC), Mr Kirk Cofie, Mr William Amuna and Mrs Mawuena Trebah, respectively.

The QPI is a giant Qatari state-owned enterprise.

Partnership

President Mahama said Ghana had an immediate interest in partnering QPI to develop an integrated aluminium complex, considering the huge deposits of bauxite and an existing smelter in the country.

“That was why attention needed to be placed on getting a constant supply of LNG,” he said.

He said the energy landscape in Ghana was very attractive and conducive for pursuing an integrated approach to execution.

Domunli Plant

President Mahama said efforts were being made to promote the proposed Domunli Gas Processing Plant to accommodate 2,000 MW combined cycle plants with associated infrastructure.

The Domunli Thermal Power Project is a government of Ghana/VRA combined cycle thermal power project which seeks to make use of gas from the Jubilee Fields to generate 450MW of power. 

It is located in the Jomoro District in the Western Region.

President Mahama said the Qatari model was an excellent example for Ghana to tap in.

The President, who acknowledged the expertise of the QPI in the energy and power sectors worldwide, said Ghana was ready to learn a lot from the oil-rich country.

He told the Qatari team that Ghana was a peaceful and stable country that offered strategic location for investors to reach the rest of West Africa.

For his part, Mr Jaida said the QPI was ready to invest in Ghana and commended President Mahama for his leadership in Ghana.