Recommissioning of Ameri Power Plant an indication of a clueless govt – NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ashanti Region has questioned the rationale behind relocating the Ameri Power Plant from the Western Region to the Ashanti Region, urging the government to address the financial issues affecting the power sector as a priority.

The NDC criticized the government’s decision to recommission and rename the plant, originally inaugurated in 2015 during John Mahama’s administration, describing the move as “another lie and deception of the clueless, dishonest and incompetent Akufo Addo/Bawumia.”

President Akufo-Addo is expected to commission the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Project on Wednesday, April 17 as part of efforts to enhance system voltage and stability in the middle and northern regions.

According to the government, the plant expected to generate a minimum of 250 megawatts, is necessary in the Ashanti Region to ensure reliability and stability in the national grid.

Ahead of the commissioning, the NDC in the Ashanti Region called on the government to focus on resolving the financial challenges in the power sector.

Abass Nuruddeen, the Ashanti Regional Communications Officer for the NDC, said the exercise is a waste of scarce resources and that the $30 million being used in relocating the plant could have been put to better use to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians.

“Why will the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government waste scarce resources to recommission a power plant that has already been commissioned in 2015?

“How on earth does the mere relocation of the Ameri Power plant from Aboadze in the Western Region to Kumasi cost $35million which is over three times more than the $ 10 million Otumfuo Osei Tutu is soliciting to renovate the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital?”