Ceremony held in Turkey to set sail power barge

Ghanaian and Turkish officials have held an official ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey, to sail the much-anticipated power ship.

The power ship, one of two to be delivered by Karpower, is expected to arrive at the Tema Port on November 12 barring any marine weather conditions, officials have said.

The power ship is expected to augment the country’s power capacity by adding 225MW to the national grid.

The ceremony in Istanbul on Tuesday, October 27 saw officials from Ghana’s Power Ministry and the embassy in the Euro-Asian country, as well as some from Turkish power ship maker Karadeniz, gather at the port of departure.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Power Dr Kwabena Donkor expressed government's gratitude to its Turkish counterpart, calling for more cooperation between the two countries.

"In the 21st century where distances have narrowed our ability to marshal resources, the mutual benefits of our two people must be the priority of both governments."

He said Ghana is on the verge of ending the power crisis and therefore "Ghana is eagerly awaiting the arrival of these vessels in our waters".

The barge is expected to start feeding the national grid between 10 and 15 days after arrival.