Ghana Gas Project is 33% complete – IMANI

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Prof Lungu 11 years ago

We'd like to say this is quite a remarkable feat, and an incredible gesture on the part of the Takoradi Thermal Processing Plant (TTPP) management to allow access to the facility, to IMANI, a private non-profit agency and we' ...
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We'd like to say this is quite a remarkable feat, and an incredible gesture on the part of the Takoradi Thermal Processing Plant (TTPP) management to allow access to the facility, to IMANI, a private non-profit agency and we've always known and a balanced critic of the government and management of affairs in Ghana.

Clearly, is the Takoradi Thermal Processing Plant (TTPP) management appreciate the qualifications and experience of persons in the IMANI team who toured the facility, it behooves TTPP to carefully consider the observations. One such finding relates to "remote monitoring" for an enthat is energy transmission facility that is not tamper-proof, or "human-error-proof."

In that sense, we'd be curious to know what type of liability insurance TTPP has to cover all foreseeable exigencies.

Speed in completion is after all not always the best indicator of a safe, productive, and beneficial product.
DAN 11 years ago

what about Natural gas thats is lighter than air and will float away in outdoor leaks..Most gas used in usa is natural gas, only forklifts and houses out in bush not on pipeline have Lp tanks for heat and hotwater

what about Natural gas thats is lighter than air and will float away in outdoor leaks..Most gas used in usa is natural gas, only forklifts and houses out in bush not on pipeline have Lp tanks for heat and hotwater
william 11 years ago

credible THINK TANKS will deliver reliable info. Hope the other think tanks, especially those already losing their relevance by engaging in partisan 'politricks" are watching and taking notes!!!

credible THINK TANKS will deliver reliable info. Hope the other think tanks, especially those already losing their relevance by engaging in partisan 'politricks" are watching and taking notes!!!
Whatever 11 years ago

What IMANI went and did was to measure and evaluate. That's good, we need more of this external first hand assessment of state projects. Theres is a large army of unemployed youth out there yet we are not tapping into their s ...
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What IMANI went and did was to measure and evaluate. That's good, we need more of this external first hand assessment of state projects. Theres is a large army of unemployed youth out there yet we are not tapping into their skills to complete this project on time. Thats my problem. Our inability to breakdown specialist language used in that field to the youth is the reason why we feel lazy to train them and to get them on board. We must sacrifice and bring them on board
TEASU 11 years ago

WE MUST BE VIGILANT WITH CARE TAKES NOT TO ENRICH THEM SELF BEFORE ITS COMPLITION.

WE MUST BE VIGILANT WITH CARE TAKES NOT TO ENRICH THEM SELF BEFORE ITS COMPLITION.
JAMES Y 11 years ago

Those two things mentioned by IMANI in its report of the IPGIP investigation; the provision for "remote monitoring of the pipeline" and facility for "pressure management" of the gas, need to be taken on board by the governmen ...
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Those two things mentioned by IMANI in its report of the IPGIP investigation; the provision for "remote monitoring of the pipeline" and facility for "pressure management" of the gas, need to be taken on board by the government and act upon them as a matter of necessity. The two areas are of paramount of importance in such high risk project as gas production and distribution.

Also, well coordinated date for the completion of the project will do to well to put people minds at rest. The public has been fed with variety of dates for the completion of the project, by the government and its representatives which is causing confusion, now, here is another one coming from IMANI.
KG-A 11 years ago

We must commend IMANI for this report. We need more of scu reports from credible independent organisations. Issues such as who organised the tour or who participated in it are only of marginal interest in the broader scheme o ...
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We must commend IMANI for this report. We need more of scu reports from credible independent organisations. Issues such as who organised the tour or who participated in it are only of marginal interest in the broader scheme of things.
Eric Yankah 11 years ago

COMMENT ON IMANI (April 7th) REPORT
RE: VISIT TO GHANA NATIONAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT SITES

Dear Mr Cudjoe
I heard about your report from many people before I saw your email to me and a few others at Ghana Gas (incl ...
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COMMENT ON IMANI (April 7th) REPORT
RE: VISIT TO GHANA NATIONAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT SITES

Dear Mr Cudjoe
I heard about your report from many people before I saw your email to me and a few others at Ghana Gas (including the CEO). Given that I also had the opportunity to speak to you on Friday evening shortly after your visit, I had no inkling that you will present what I consider to be a very unfair report on the project. It seems to me that either your team was bent on rationalising what it had already formented in its mind or this interim report is to awaken our fighting spirit to come to the boxing ring. Either way, I think you got it all mixed up, regrettably.
I also see that you have made every effort to give your report a very wide publicity (on various internet and discussion groups) including radio interviews.
I am therefore minded to send a formal rejoinder because you will recall that when I met you for the first time, it was at the F.A.T forum on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 in which I presented a critique of the Auditor-General's report for 2011 and you were one of participants. I was at the event in my private capacity as Eric Yankah invited as a resource person. At the time, I was also temporarily engaged at GNGC as the Ag CEO of GNGC given that the substantive CEO was on sick leave at the time
After the session, I approached you and hinted that I had heard some rather unsavoury comments from IMANI on the airwaves (JoyFM to be precise) which had become the subject of intense media commentary. I pointed out my disquiet about the situation given that no one from IMANI had spoken to any person at GNGC officially and more so when it was clear to me that the IMANI commentators were speaking from a position of ignorance, not having had the opportunity to even see whether the project exists or not. I immediately told you that I had actually that day, prior to coming to the event (and unrelated to our chance meeting) instructed the GNGC staff to prepare to host IMANI and a number of other stakeholders who had been commenting on the project to give them a first-hand appreciation of the project.
I am writing this rejoinder, not on behalf of Ghana Gas but as the person who made it possible for you to visit the site in the first place. I am fully and personally responsible for every comment made in this rejoinder.
I am disappointed that your report takes credit for this tour taking place and your thanking us for making your wishes come true. It is false. The visit was at our instance and invitation. There is something that I must point out just for the effect I want to carry. When I mooted the idea of the tour, I wanted to even pay for your air travel and changed my mind at the last minute and so you will notice that we said in our invitation letter that we will meet you at Takoradi Airport or some location close by and then we will take you on the tour and bring you back to the pick-up point. I am now very glad that we did that. You will notice that at the top of your report, you have indicated a disclaimer that Lawyer Kwame Jantuah “paid for his own air travel just like the IMANI Research Team”. In my opinion, this was an unfair point even if you wanted to say that you were independent. For the record, I wish to point out that you could not initially take up the offer for the trip on the appointed date because you were under the impression we were going to pay for the trip from Accra. You therefore wanted to give you a bit of time to sort out a budget for your travel to Takoradi. I believe all that was eventually done culminating in the trip of last Friday.
We do thank you for given us an opportunity to showcase the project. I am surprised that your report does no justice to recognizing that this project is being implemented on a FAST TRACK BASIS which means technically, and in fact, that it is being done on a schedule that is unusual. Remember that the GhanaGas was formed in mid-2011, it began conceptualizing for implementation a fast-track approach to the development of gas infrastructure. This led to the initial confirmation of choice of an EPCC contractor, Sinopec. Then we went to harnessing and concluding an initial front end engineering design based on earlier work carried out by GNPC With all this on hand, we began negotiating the EPCC Contract with Sinopec which we concluded in JULY 2012. Since then the key components that make up the first phase of the project namely the laying of and connection of the shallow water pipeline to the Jubilee Field’s deep water pipeline, the laying of the onshore pipeline from Atuabo to Aboadze and the Gas Processing Plant at Atuabo are all progressing despite the challenges that we faced with the sort of aggressiveness that we are approaching the project.
Your report creates the impression that Ghana Gas is not a competent firm dealing with such a complex subject as developing gas infrastructure. What your report does not also highlight is that it is our own engineers that have held the fort effectively and efficiently until the stage where we injected the specialist project management firm to support the team as well as facilitate the critical stages of commissioning of the entire value chain from the Jubilee FPSO to the Aboadze end-user site. I am sure you will understand my disappointment in this respect.
Nonetheless, you have written what you consider to be your best interim assessment of the situation. Seeing that you have stated that you have submitted a questionnaire to GNGC (I wonder to whom you submitted the said questionnaire), I would have expected, as is best practice to ensure that you receive responses or at best, a conversation around the matters of concern, before you rush to issue a report that is largely short of the core ingredients of helping stakeholders to appreciate what is there at Atuabo and the other locations of the project. I intend to address these issues as I read them in your report, acknowledging that I have not seen your questionnaire.
Let me start by thanking you for the observation that your guides (staff of GNGC) appeared to be enthusiastic about their mission. Is that not what you expect from professionals?
Infact, I am scandalized that right at the beginning of your report, you mention GNPC being shadowy and arrogant… to any sense of … (your words!!). is this reference necessary? Is it worth the space on paper? In this report? With this type of attitude or approach, most people or institutions would either not cooperate or will stay at arms-length from you. As I said at the beginning, your team was all over the media without cross-checking their facts with responsible officers of the company (GNGC) as I found out during the short time I was acting CEO of GhanaGas. IMANI like other stakeholders have no place in society if they cannot be seen as collaborative partners in development seeking solutions. Indeed, for the sake of repeating, this invitation may not have come at all if we had not applied a professional approach that – fine, lets forget their attitude and their outbursts, their character, let’s do what professionals do, lets invite them.. and we did!!!
Back to the report. Not interacting with the Contractor was a no brainer because we provided all the field staff to deal with your team. This is standard for projects such as this because you were there as a guest of the Client not the Contractor.
With respect to your attempt to obtain further clarifications which could affect future conclusions – the damage done by this report would certainly be difficult to erase if it is not premised on any solid substance. All you could have said something to the effect that – “wow, we have visited the GNGC project site. The pipes are there, work is going on.. We have some questions which we have posed to GhanaGas.. We will thus issue our full report when we hear from them… or even if we don’t hear from them”.. This is the best interim report you could have sent out. But alas, you have chosen the path you have just chosen. You are definitely entitled to your opinion..but at least demonstrate an intimate knowledge of what you saw.
In your report, you have not listed the names of those who participated except for Mr Jantuah and yourself (I happen to know you were on the tour). Is/are there any reason(s) why you have not disclosed those who went on the tour, in the report?
You claim that as a possible matter of “interesting point of debate” that the overall project is 33%. In projects of this nature, you don’t add percentages by numbers you add percentages by overall effect. It seems clear to me that you did not pay attention to the briefings that you received. Poor information disseminated is dangerous information to work with.
It was made amply clear to you - I would be surprised if you will deny this - that the Phase One of the project which we are currently targeting on getting ready BEFORE the end of this year includes the Offshore pipeline system, the GPP with an onshore truck loading gantry for LPG and condensates nearby, the onshore pipeline to Aboadze. The Phase TWO of the project which is currently also being finalised for implementation includes a turbo-expander unit expansion to the Atuabo GPP to increase our production of LPG and other condensates, the export facililty with a Calm Buoy at Domunli to facilitate the export of the LPG and the condensates. This phase also includes the lateral onshore pipeline to Prestea to support the mining enclave in that area. It is my expectation that you will have commented on the percentage completed of the Phase ONE.
It is very easy to lie with statistics as any trained statistician would tell you. I do not want your esteemed audience, and our stakeholders – the People of Ghana – to fall into the trap of misconception simply because IMANI has said so.
I am therefore compelled to ask IMANI when it says “At the current rate of completion we believe the project will be ready to deliver gas for power production in Ghana sometime in early 2014” What project it is referring to? The 33% project or what? We need to ensure that we are not comparing apples with oranges?
I am also surprised that you report that “From our investigations, the modular plant requires 20 months of fabrication and engineering, which makes it unlikely, despite recent reports, that it can be completed and shipped before the third quarter of this year. Maybe you still haven’t grasped the fact that the Gas Processing Plant (GPP) is being manufactured by a top notch GPP manufacturer and is not being built like regular units. This plant, because of the aggressive schedule is being built on a modular basis and the Atuabo site (which incidentally you said is practically bare) is being prepared to receive the units on a “place, hook and tie-in” basis, meaning it would just be fitted together as most of the units would arrive ready to be connected unlike traditional GPP Plants where you receive miles of pipes, valves, chambers etc and you spend months if not a couple of years putting them together. You were also told that about 50% of the GPP is due in any moment now as it was shipped from Canada back in February 2013 (Infact some of it is already in Takoradi and one or two moved to the fabrication yard at Atuabo) The balance of the plant would be shipped over the next month or so. Were you told anything different or your folks chose not to take that into consideration?
On the other issues relating to compression of the pipeline and other technical matters, I am sure you just filled the pages with what you may have read in some text books. I believe our team has all the competencies to know when compression is needed on a line. I will therefore ignore all the technical issues you have “attempted” to raise because they are moot, of no relevance and an attempt to show understanding when in actual fact the opposite is the result.
To put a long story short, a Gas Processing Plant is supposed to receive raw gas from the fields, dry it, strip it of any liquids not required in the lean gas specification, then ship out the lean gas for power production and other petrochemical uses. In this process various equipment would be required but they are all part of the GPP as designed and fabricated. There is therefore absolutely no need for you to cry foul that “All these units are being built in Canada for shipping to Ghana in the near future” What was the point of that statement and the following one that “Before these modules arrive in the country for integration, the site should be ready for them”? Did you for a moment think that Ghanagas is so incompetent that it does not know that in building a project, the foundation comes first before the superstructure?
I am pleased that you have inserted some photographs of the project. With the exception of the Artist’s impression, all your photographs presented in the report are carefully (or appear to be so!) selected to prove that GhanaGas is not as ready as it claims and is basically telling an Aesop’s Fable to the good people of Ghana. Do you want us to show you a whole gallery of photographs to show how far we have come? I think IMANI was at its most disingenuous self with the photographs presented in the report. Nonetheless, you saw for yourself what work has been done. Were you not, for example, told that the GPP site had several months and thousands of tons of piling, excavations, filling to bring the site to the right height, ground stability etc. to allow for installation of the equipment waiting in the wings to be received and positioned in place?.
We have not said the pipeline is completed have we?.. We are trenching and doing all the other things required of pipeline installation including crosschecking welds, coatings as well as other protection before the trenching is completed in any segment. Nonetheless, we are on course in this regard!!
We are aware that pre-commissioning and commissioning would necessarily take place. As I told you on Friday, the project was NOT awarded on an EPC contract basis but an Engineering Procurement, Construction & Commissioning (EPCC)basis. This means that Sinopec will not build the gas infrastructure and just leave it for us. Sinopec, on the contrary, will build the project, commission and ensure that they leave a functional infrastructure that works along the full value chain from the FPSO risers through the GPP to Aboadze and the Export System (in the 2nd Phase)
I am also wondering why you have concluded that our people are so technically deficient that they cannot even tell the difference between building a project and responsibilities of the owner post-construction that you will in your report suggest “a workforce strategy”. I find that comment quite condescending and trust that you will take the necessary steps to apologise for that.. Unless of course you only meant to reinforce that we must take maximum advantage of the in-situ vendor capacity on the various components. For your information, we started our capacity building for this project a long time ago – our staff have and continue to spend time at equipment vendors, on site as specialist inspectors counterpart to Sinopec Engineers in the field and would also receive further capacity resource inputs under an operational strategy that is also advanced. I cannot see how Ghana Gas can do otherwise. We certainly don’t your reminder or “suggestion” in this regard.
Your report also speaks about the commercial arrangements and questions the issue of operational risk on the pipeline given that “If due to fractionating and the flaring of some of the heavier molecules, the lean gas yield of the plant reduces to below 70%, we could well be seeing just about 30 million cubicfeet of gas delivered through the gas pipeline.” I think IMANI should give us some credit and space. The gas infrastructure that is being developed now would not be restricted to gas from only Jubilee, We have actually developed the offshore pipeline to allow for interconnection with the Tweneboa and other fields. I am sure that you were told about this… or?
The commercial strategy of GhanaGas would necessarily be matched to the technical imperatives from the production fields. We are already working very closely with the Jubilee Partners to achieve interconnection harmony technically and commercially We are not sleeping as a company if that is what you seek to portray. We are thinking in the long term beyond what we are developing now. Our longer term outlook does not pose a risk at this stage because we are a commercial organisation with a commercial sense of judgement and we are proud of the heritage that we are already developing despite our newness - unless you are saying that if we did what you are suggesting our problems will dissipate.
Ghana Gas will buy its gas contrary to what you think
I love the way you ended your report by throwing in the fact that “ as if to signal how much work remains to be done, we went to the organisation’s website only to discover that it is also still pending completion” Clearly, you were alluding to a poorly run organisation. What was the essence of the comment? And in this report?
Thank you
Eric N. Yankah
Accra: April 8, 2013
Asempa Beba Dabi 11 years ago

I have tried to read your entire response to Frankiln Cudjoe and it appears you are being unnecessary sensitive! You seem obsessed with Franklin and hence focused on him as an individual and not IMANI as an entity fo which Fr ...
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I have tried to read your entire response to Frankiln Cudjoe and it appears you are being unnecessary sensitive! You seem obsessed with Franklin and hence focused on him as an individual and not IMANI as an entity fo which Franklin works. You appear to be seeking attention for yourself to please your superiors and it makes you appear sycophantic and quite egoistic.

Please address IMANI's concerns and stop being a cry baby!!
Eric Yankah 11 years ago

I am sad that you only tried to read. Its not about Franklin at all. In my my view, the responses address the issues raised by IMANI comprehensively

I have published my name.. you are hiding behind a veil of a pseudonym.. ...
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I am sad that you only tried to read. Its not about Franklin at all. In my my view, the responses address the issues raised by IMANI comprehensively

I have published my name.. you are hiding behind a veil of a pseudonym..

We all deserve the best for the country and we must be ready to stand up for our convictions as professionals..

ego and syncophany? PLEASE!!!
Sun Diata 11 years ago

Hello Mr. Yankah,

Thank you for your very thorough response, which provides important clarifications for some research of purely academic nature that I am also conducting on the project. I would be very grateful for furth ...
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Hello Mr. Yankah,

Thank you for your very thorough response, which provides important clarifications for some research of purely academic nature that I am also conducting on the project. I would be very grateful for further discussion on some of the issues you have raised here. Is there any chance you could email your phone number to sundiata213@gmail.com. Of course, I am happy to email you a questionnaire prior to setting up any meeting or phone conversation.

Many thanks
Abosco 11 years ago

Mr Yankah, are you very normal? Cant you see that so far this is the most detailed work in the public domain about this project? Why attack IMANI then? What have you yourself put out about the project instead of going around ...
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Mr Yankah, are you very normal? Cant you see that so far this is the most detailed work in the public domain about this project? Why attack IMANI then? What have you yourself put out about the project instead of going around lambasting other people? You are a complete disgrace! IMANI wrote a very important work that has kindled the interest of people like myself to learn more about this sensitive project. Till now all that have been thrown to the public has been crumbs of info. Trying to curry favour with ghana gas by doing this hatchet job wont get you anywhere. go and give back the money to to your paymasters! joker.
Eric 11 years ago

Thank you for ur insults

I am sure after a while u will get the opportunity to reflect on what u have written.

What don't want to know?the informed facts or the uninformed ones.

Hiding behind pseudonyms is a great w ...
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Thank you for ur insults

I am sure after a while u will get the opportunity to reflect on what u have written.

What don't want to know?the informed facts or the uninformed ones.

Hiding behind pseudonyms is a great way to express opinions ONLY when you have something to hide.

At least you have also contributed to the debate.

Thank you
Franklin Cudjoe 11 years ago

Dear Mr. Yankah,

Thank you for taking your time to detail your concerns about our report. We expected that there would be disagreements with our conclusions, even passionate one, so most of your reactions were anticipated. ...
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Dear Mr. Yankah,

Thank you for taking your time to detail your concerns about our report. We expected that there would be disagreements with our conclusions, even passionate one, so most of your reactions were anticipated.

Below I have attempted to respond to those issues you raised that requires a response from us.

1. It is true that in our personal capacities we had discussions at the forum you mentioned regarding a potential IMANI visit to the project sites, however, from the organisation’s official point of view, the tour could only commence upon IMANI’s independently assessed basis. This is merely organisational policy and was not intended to denigrate any of your gestures.

2. The questionnaire was sent through our normal channels and was addressed to the Chief Executive of Ghana Gas.

3. Our exchanges with the GNPC which led to our conclusion that they are shadowy and arrogant and disinterested in public accountability and transparency are matters of public record. Since these energy policy matters are in essence public matters, public agencies are accountable to the public by default not by choice. This is not an attitude we have encountered at the GNPC.

4. Kindly understand that the report was written for the public and not energy sector insiders. To the lay mind, since SINOPEC is the frontline project executor, the common-sense expectation would be that they will be involved in the tour. Since we anticipated that the public might be interested in the fact of whether or not they were involved, we felt it best to mention appropriately that they were not. This also explains some of the gaps in the report, which the public reader is bound to notice.

5. We did not list the names of our tour guides because they were operating in an organisational capacity, which remit had been limited to conducting us on the tour, and not as official sources for our media education and dissemination activities.

6. You are right that we were minded to present ourselves to the public as independent-minded and motivated by the public interest. This is the general approach we take to our work.

7. Your concern about a potential mix-up of phases one and two centers on whether the Domunli facilities form part of phase one or not. We will agree with you that the report did not explicitly mention that the Domunli facilities are part of phase two of the project. In the circumstances however that detail while interesting was not a foundation of any of the report’s major conclusions. We will ensure that in future commentary that fact is highlighted.

8. We were fully made aware that the Prestea facilities are part of phase 2 of the project. We did not consider mentioning that part of the system critical at this juncture.

9. We explained very clearly what ‘success looks like’ for phase 1: safe, commercial, delivery of lean gas to Aboadze and successful commercialisation of LPG and condensates produced as a by-product of that gas. We don’t believe that this can be achieved earlier than 2014. But we wish you, the CEO and the entire Ghana Gas team much success in your highly patriotic endeavours to do so. It is a mark of your commitment to the well-being of this country.

10. As independent CSO observers however we consider it important to ensure that the public remains fully informed and educated. We can only do that by delivering unbiased and ungarnished information to the public. We all have our roles to play, and it is only natural that emphases and interpretations might differ.

11. It is evident in the report that we do ‘grasp the fact’ that the plant is being manufactured on a modular basis. We said so in the report. There was no idiom about that fact. However, we are reliably informed that from order to completion a 150 MMScf modular plant takes 20 months to build.

12. You assert that the GPP is 50% complete. That is in consonance with our view that 100% completion earlier than Q3 2013 is practically infeasible.

13. You appeared concerned that we were saying obvious things about the gas project. May I take the opportunity once again to respectfully remind you that to the public these facts are not obvious. In fact, for many Ghanaians these are confusing and complicated. Our goal is not to communicate solely with energy sector insiders.

14. Contrary to your suspicions, the photos were of precisely those points in the corridor that we were shown by the Ghana Gas team: Aboadze power station, Inchaban Metering Station, Ankobra HDD, Atuabo GPP and site office and the landfall. We do not understand the basis for your discomfort. These places were the highlights of the tour which was itinerarised by Ghana Gas itself.

15. We will continue to believe until evidence appears to the contrary that the feedstock supply (raw gas) is a challenge to this project that threatens its medium-term viability. To repeat: our argument is that the GPP could operate undercapacity for a significant length of time posing commercial risks to the overall health of the enterprise.

16. There was no malice aforethought in showing that Ghana Gas’ website is pending completion. As we pointed out: it clearly demonstrates the workload ahead.

Once again, thank you for your thoughts. If Ghana Gas does complete the questionnaire we will update the public to keep them informed in accordance with what we believe is our mandate. God bless you all at Ghana Gas.

Very warm regards, Sir.

Franklin
Eric Yankah 11 years ago

Good Day Mr Cudjoe
Yesterday you sent the 16 points to me by email and I responded. as your response is not embedded in your posting.. I am taking the trouble (and in the interest of creating a balance in the discourse) to ...
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Good Day Mr Cudjoe
Yesterday you sent the 16 points to me by email and I responded. as your response is not embedded in your posting.. I am taking the trouble (and in the interest of creating a balance in the discourse) to respond to each of your points: My Original responses are all shown in caps and embedded within your points

----START-----

MR CUDJOE
WELL THIS IS BECOMING AN INTERESTING DISCOURSE. I THINK MY POINTS WERE MADE QUITE CLEARLY. I LIKE YOUR 16 POINTS AND DON'T THINK THERE IS MUCH TO ADD AS THEY MOSTLY CONFIRM MY CONCERNS. I HAVE INSERTED SOME QUICK COMMENTS WITHIN YOUR 16 POINTS BELOW..

SO PLEASE READ BELOW.

thanks

At 12:26 PM 4/8/2013, Franklin Cudjoe wrote:

Dear Mr. Yankah,

Thank you for taking your time to detail your concerns about our report. We expected that there would be disagreements with our conclusions, even passionate one, so most of your reactions were anticipated.

Below I have attempted to respond to those issues you raised that requires a response from us.

1. It is true that in our personal capacities we had discussions at the forum you mentioned regarding a potential IMANI visit to the project sites, however, from the organisationâ€™s official point of view, the tour could only commence upon IMANIâ€™s independently assessed basis. This is merely organisational policy and was not intended to denigrate any of your gestures.

**** IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR UPFRONT. YOU MADE IT SEEM THAT ALL THIS WAS YOUR IDEA. BUT NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DID WHAT YOU DID

2. The questionnaire was sent through our normal channels and was addressed to the Chief Executive of Ghana Gas.

**** SO WHY DID YOU NOT WAIT BEFORE HITTING THE WORLD WITH THE INTERIM REPORT? HAVE YOU EVEN DISCUSSED THE QUESTIONNAIRE WITH THE COORDINATOR OF THE VISIT TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR BEHALF?

I ALWAYS INSIST THAT GNGC IS A PUBLIC COMPANY AND I AM AWARE THAT THE CEO AND OTHER OFFICERS HAVE SAID TO ALL ( INCLUDING TO PIAC) THAT GNGCWELCOME OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS GOING ON IN VIEW OF THE IMMENSE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE PROJECT. I SHARE THIS VIEW OF TRANSPARENCY AND IT HAS BEEN MY PERSONAL HALLMARK THROUGH ALL MY YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE

3. Our exchanges with the GNPC which led to our conclusion that they are shadowy and arrogant and disinterested in public accountability and transparency are matters of public record. Since these energy policy matters are in essence public matters, public agencies are accountable to the public by default not by choice. This is not an attitude we have encountered at the GNPC.

** MY ISSUE IS THAT THE COMMENT HAD NO PLACE IN THIS REPORT SINCE YOU WERE GIVING A REPORT OF A VISIT TO OUR FACILITIES. ANY ISSUES YOU HAD WITH GNPC WAS ENTIRELY YOURS. MY OTHER CONCERN IS THAT YOU FORGET THE POINT THAT GETTING SUPPORT FROM ANYBODY ABOUT ANYTHING ON ANYTHING DEPENDS FULLY ON HOW YOU HANDLE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT PERSON. JUST IMAGINE SOMEONE FROM GNPC READING THIS REPORT ONLY TO FIND YOUR "INSULTING COMMENT". THAT IS THE END OF ANY HELP YOU CAN GET FROM THAT PERSON. A LITTLE CHANGE IN HOW YOU HANDLE INTER-INSTITUTION FRICTION WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR IMANI

4. Kindly understand that the report was written for the public and not energy sector insiders. To the lay mind, since SINOPEC is the frontline project executor, the common-sense expectation would be that they will be involved in the tour. Since we anticipated that the public might be interested in the fact of whether or not they were involved, we felt it best to mention appropriately that they were not. This also explains some of the gaps in the report, which the public reader is bound to notice.

** THAT IS PRECISELY THE REASON WHY THEY MUST UNDERSTAND THE BEST PRACTICE IN THIS MATTER. SINOPEC IS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THIS EPCC CONTRACT IS EFFECTIVELY A TURNKEY PROJECT. WE HAVE OUR OWN TEAM ON SITE PROVIDING OVERSIGHT & INSPECTION SERVICES AS IS NORMAL FOR SUCH PROJECTS. YOU RATHER CREATED THE IMPRESSION (AS I READ IT) THAT THEY WERE THERE BUT THEY COULD NOT SPEND TIME WITH YOU. YOU MUST HAVE OBVIOUSLY NOTICED THAT THEY WERE ALL ENGAGED IN VARIOUS TASKS PLUS THOSE YOU SAW IN THE FIELD ( AS OPPOSED TO THE OFFICERS WE ASSIGNED TO CONDUCT YOU AROUND) WERE IN DESIGNATED TASKS AND COULD NOT HAVE GIVEN YOU ANY INFO. TRUST ME, THE POINT I MADE IS WORTH REPEATING HERE.

5. We did not list the names of our tour guides because they were operating in an organisational capacity, which remit had been limited to conducting us on the tour, and not as official sources for our media education and dissemination activities.

** I THINK YOU MISREAD MY POINT HERE. I WANTED YOU TO NAME THOSE ON THE IMANI TEAM ( JUST LIKE YOU DID KWAME JANTUAH'S). THE OBSERVATION OF GUEST IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE BACKGROUND HE BRINGS TO THE FEEDBACK. IT WAS NOT ABOUT THE TOUR GUIDES FROM GNGC

6. You are right that we were minded to present ourselves to the public as independent-minded and motivated by the public interest. This is the general approach we take to our work.

** I AGREE WITH YOU FULLY ON THIS POINT

7. Your concern about a potential mix-up of phases one and two centers on whether the Domunli facilities form part of phase one or not. We will agree with you that the report did not explicitly mention that the Domunli facilities are part of phase two of the project. In the circumstances however that detail while interesting was not a foundation of any of the reportâ€™s major conclusions. We will ensure that in future commentary that fact is highlighted.

*** INDEED THIS IS THE MOST CENTRAL POINT IN YOUR REPORT THAT FORMS THE KERNEL OF THE PUBLISHED 33% COMPLETION LEVEL CONCLUSIONS DISSEMINATED IN THE MEDIA AND THIS IS THE MOST PATENTLY FALSE ASSERTION IN THE REPORT. I RE-EMPHASISE MY COMMENT THAT YOUR TEAM MIXED UP THE PHASING OF THIS PROJECT TO THE DISCREDIT OF YOUR CONCLUSIONS

8. We were fully made aware that the Prestea facilities are part of phase 2 of the project. We did not consider mentioning that part of the system critical at this juncture.

*** I KNOW THAT YOU DID NOT MENTION THIS BUT BASED ON WHAT IS ON THE TABLE FOR PHASE ONE - HOW MUCH HAS BEEN DONE? WE ALSO NEEDED TO BE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH WHAT WAS BEING DESCRIBED. YOU SEE THE PUBLIC TAKE INDEPENDENT ASSESSORS SERIOUSLY AND QUITE OFTEN THE PUBLIC SERVICE IS ALWAYS MADE TO LOOK INCOMPETENT, INSENSITIVE, UNTRUTHFUL ETC. IT IS AN UNFORTUNATE PERCEPTION THAT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO FESTER - CERTAINLY NOT WHEN GNGC IS CONCERNED (TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDE AND INFORMATION AS A PROFESSIONAL WHO HAPPENS TO ALSO BE A BOARD MEMBER OF THE COMPANY)

9. We explained very clearly what â€˜success looks likeâ€™ for phase 1: safe, commercial, delivery of lean gas to Aboadze and successful commercialisation of LPG and condensates produced as a by-product of that gas. We donâ€™t believe that this can be achieved earlier than 2014. But we wish you, the CEO and the entire Ghana Gas team much success in your highly patriotic endeavours to do so. It is a mark of your commitment to the well-being of this country.

** IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW THE BASIS OF YOUR ASSESSMENT. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WISHES.. WE DO NEED THEM... PLUS ENCOURAGEMENT FROM ALL QUARTERS - NOT WHAT SEEMS TO BE DISTRACTIONS TO OUR ATTENTION SPAN. I AM SURE THAT IS NOT YOUR INTENTION ANYWAY!!!

10. As independent CSO observers however we consider it important to ensure that the public remains fully informed and educated. We can only do that by delivering unbiased and ungarnished information to the public. We all have our roles to play, and it is only natural that emphases and interpretations might differ.

** MY ONLY WISH IS THAT SUCH OPINION MUST BE GROUNDED ON TESTED EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE NOT DEDUCTIONS MADE ON PARTIAL INFORMATION. i AM SURE YOU SEE WHY WAITING FOR THE RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MOST HELPFUL!!

11. It is evident in the report that we do â€˜grasp the factâ€™ that the plant is being manufactured on a modular basis. We said so in the report. There was no idiom about that fact. However, we are reliably informed that from order to completion a 150 MMScf modular plant takes 20 months to build.

*** WHO IS THE SOURCE OF YOUR RELIABLE INFORMATION? YOU DID NOT SAY FOR US TO INTERROGATE. WE HAVE NOT HIDDEN THE FACT THAT THE GPP IS BEING MANUFACTURED AT THERMO DESIGN ENGINEERING IN EDMONTON CANADA. WE ARE TELLING YOU THE THING IS BEING DONE AND YOU SAY NO. WOW!!! WE ARE NOT SPEAKING GENERICALLY.. WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT THE GHANA GAS GPP NOTHING ELSE. WOULD YOU SHARE YOUR SOURCE OR WILL YOU PROTECT THE ANONYMITY OF YOUR SOURCE?

12. You assert that the GPP is 50% complete. That is in consonance with our view that 100% completion earlier than Q3 2013 is practically infeasible.

***I DID NOT SAY THAT THE GPP IS 50% COMPLETE.. I SAID 50% OF THE PLANT HAS BEEN SHIPPED AND THE REMAINDER WILL BE SHIPPED IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO. THIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM 50% COMPLETE.

13. You appeared concerned that we were saying obvious things about the gas project. May I take the opportunity once again to respectfully remind you that to the public these facts are not obvious. In fact, for many Ghanaians these are confusing and complicated. Our goal is not to communicate solely with energy sector insiders.

*** KNOWLEDGE WRONGLY SHARED CREATES A MASS OF POORLY INFORMED PEOPLE. IT IS FOR THAT REASON THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE ESSENCE OF THE COMMUNICATION IS CLARITY, POIGNANCY, COMPREHENSIVE AND CONTEXTUALLY RELEVANT TO THE MATTERS UNDER DISCUSSION.

14. Contrary to your suspicions, the photos were of precisely those points in the corridor that we were shown by the Ghana Gas team: Aboadze power station, Inchaban Metering Station, Ankobra HDD, Atuabo GPP and site office and the landfall. We do not understand the basis for your discomfort. These places were the highlights of the tour which was itinerarised by Ghana Gas itself.

*** I STILL INSIST THAT YOUR CHOICE OF PHOTOS TO PUBLISH WAS EDITORIALLY WEAK AND STRATEGICALLY CHOSEN TO ENHANCE THE OVERALL CONCLUSION THAT THE PROJECT IS ONLY 33% DONE. YOU EVEN WONDERED HOW THE 67% WOULD BE FINISHED ON TIME... PICTURES TELL A STORY...

15. We will continue to believe until evidence appears to the contrary that the feedstock supply (raw gas) is a challenge to this project that threatens its medium-term viability. To repeat: our argument is that the GPP could operate undercapacity for a significant length of time posing commercial risks to the overall health of the enterprise.

*** SUPPLY OF GAS IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT. WE ARE NOT BUILDING A PROJECT TO RUN FOR SHOW OR FOR A FEW YEARS. I EMPHASISED THAT THERE IS A COMMERCIAL STRATEGY THAT IS ON THE CARDS. GHANAGAS IS ALS MINDFUL OF ALL INCIPIENT RISKS AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE WORKING ON .. THIS IS NOT PECULIAR. MY ONLY CONCERN WAS RAISING IT IN THE CONTEXT OF LETTING IT SOUND ALMOST AS IF WE DONT KNOW WHAT WE ARE ABOUT. WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED ANY OTHER STRATEGIES WITH YOU HAVE WE?

16. There was no malice aforethought in showing that Ghana Gasâ€™ website is pending completion. As we pointed out: it clearly demonstrates the workload ahead.

*** CHECK THE ENGLISH EXPRESSION IN YOUR STATEMENT AND YOU WILL SEE THE FINAL PIERCING OF THE SWORD INTO THE SIDE OF GHANAGAS' RIBS. THEY CANT DO IT.. DIDNT WE TELL YOU? I STILL MAINTAIN IT WAS AN UNFAIR COMMENT... AND IT HAD NO PLACE IN THE FILED VISIT REPORT.

Once again, thank you for your thoughts. If Ghana Gas does complete the questionnaire we will update the public to keep them informed in accordance with what we believe is our mandate. God bless you all at Ghana Gas.

** IT IS A PLEASURE EXCHANGING IDEAS WITH YOU. I AM SURE GHANAGAS WILL ALSO FIND SOME AVENUE TO ENGAGE WITH IMANI.. FOR NOW, IT IS ALL ABOUT MY PERSONAL REJOINDER.

Very warm regards, Sir.
** SAME FROM THIS SIDE.. HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON
Franklin

ERIC

---END ---

THANK YOU VERY MUCH
ERIC - APRIL 9TH
Franklin Cudjoe 11 years ago

Thank you Mr. Yankah.

Sir,If there is one positive thing that this whole tour 'enterprise' achieved,it is that we have a semblance of clarity on what it is Ghana Gas is trying to achieve which until now had not received a ...
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Thank you Mr. Yankah.

Sir,If there is one positive thing that this whole tour 'enterprise' achieved,it is that we have a semblance of clarity on what it is Ghana Gas is trying to achieve which until now had not received any serious publicity. We are glad you gave us the opportunity, eves as we are aware this report DOES help you in your battles with the NDC insiders who think you have done nothing. This helps them to close ranks behind you noting that we have given the real situational analysis and their credibility could yet again be on line after the STX debacle.

Glad to note your rejoinder which still does not address the facts but a disproportionate dwelling on a lecture on IMANI should do its work is on other mediums,albeit limited.

Frankly, none at IMANI is interested in a "battle". It doesn't pay at all as you suggest seeing that were it a profitable enterprise our hydra-headed problems as a nation would long been solved. We will nonetheless respond through the very mediums you use should we see the rejoinder beyond the space you have now.

However, please note that it is not only IMANI that came to the conclusion that significant work remains to be done. As you have had a pre-view of the PIAC thought process, they will in their final report tell you "Based on what [they] saw, [they] ‘admonished’ the GNGC company to help manage expectations by making sure they tell Ghanaians the truth that the end 2013 timeline for the delivery of gas might not be realized especially given the challenges they themselves enumerated."

I think my editor will have he final say on what to post on IMANi's website but I shall make an effort to ensure fairness here too.

Hope your day goes well.

Thank you again

Franklin
Franklin Cudjoe 11 years ago

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAS TIME LINES CAREFULLY:

1. Gas project to be ready in November 2012- Source: Daily Graphic, 9/7/2012

WORK on the $850 million Gas Infrastructure Project at Atuabo in the Western Region is e ...
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PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAS TIME LINES CAREFULLY:

1. Gas project to be ready in November 2012- Source: Daily Graphic, 9/7/2012

WORK on the $850 million Gas Infrastructure Project at Atuabo in the Western Region is expected to be completed in November this year.The project will enable the country to transport natural gas from the Jubilee Fields for processing and for the generation of power by the Aboadze Thermal Plant. The excess gas would be exported.

2. Gas plant will be ready in December 2012-- Source: Accra, Nov. 24, 2012 GNA

““A lot of work has gone into the process so far, and the signing of the agreement is good news for Ghana Gas and the people of Ghana. The team will arrive in Ghana next month, and after reviewing all the technical and construction details we are confident that the offshore and onshore pipelines and the gas processing plant should be ready for inauguration by December 2012?, Dr. Yankey stated.--- Accra, Nov. 24, 2012 GNA

3. Ghana To Begin Gas Production This Year-2013 Source: Ghana Government Website ,Wednesday, 06 February 2013 10:16

Ghana is expected to begin the production of natural gas this year from the National Gas Processing Plant at Atuabo, in the Western Region, President John Mahama has announced.
He said the gas would initially feed the Aboadze Thermal Plant for the purposes of power generation and the proposed fertilizer processing plant, also in the region, before up-scaling to commercial production. Ghana Government Website

4. Ghana Gas Company to start commercial production in July 2013—SOURCE MYJOYONLINE-- 20 January 2013

The Ghana Gas Company is now looking to start commercial production from the gas processing plant in July. This would be after completing the installation of the plant by the end of June.
The company last year announced that the plant would be ready for production by December 2012. But officials of the company attribute their inability to meet the target to government’s inability to meet some financial obligations on time.

5. Gas processing plant to be ready by December 2013- February 27, 2013, 12:20 GMT MYJOYONLINE

Officials of Gas processing plant have made yet another promise of completing the plant, by December 2013. The Gas processing plant is being constructed at Atuabo in the Western Region. According to officials of the company, the new completion date will however depend on how quickly funds are made available to the contractors.

6. Atuabo Gas Processing Plant to be ready in December as work is 50% complete The Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Boah-April 9, 2013

Speaking on Citi Fm’s Eye Witness news program the Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Boah about 50% of progress has been made on the project with lots of the equipment also arriving on time as well as people working day and night in order to finish the work. “We are working hard to finish the project by the last quarter of this year” he said. “The 110 kilometer pipeline that would take the gas to the thermal plant in Aboadze has been laid and 45% of hat has already been buried” he stated.

7. Atuabo Gas Processing Plant to be ready in December as work is 80% complete--PRESIDENT MAHAMA Apr 09, 2013 at 9:25am

President Mahama who toured the plant which is 80% complete promised to ensure that people around the catchment area benefit from massive infrastructural development.

8.Ghana Gas Project is 33% complete – IMANI April 7, 2009

Who may be telling the truth?

Ghana Gas Project is 33% complete – IMANI

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