Energy Ministry Suspends Bui Hydroelectric Power Project

The Bui Hydroelectric Power project has been suspended. Energy Minister Albert Kan Dapaah says the suspension of the project will allow for the evaluation of fresh tender and the appointment of a new consortium. Mr. Kan Dapaah told Parliament that the Energy Ministry has therefore asked the Volta River Authority, VRA to stop all activities being carried out in fulfillment of the VRA’s obligation under the Memorandum of Understanding.

The Environmental Protection Agency has also been asked to stop conducting the environmental impact assessment for the project.

Mr. Dapaah gave the assurance that NPP government remains committed to the Bui Project, which was originally started by the government of the first republic. But he said the project has been suspended to ensure transparency in the new bidding process.

He said the Energy Ministry has received several complaints about the previous tender process. When pressed by some MPs to clarify whether there was some impropriety in the previous tender, the Energy minister said “impropriety is too strong a word”.