John Jinapor ‘exposes’ Egyapa Mercer on price of Sankofa gas pipeline on live TV

The Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu and a Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, John Jinapor, has challenged the Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, over his claims about the cost of the Sankofa Gas project.

The deputy minister, speaking on Metro TV, justified the energy sector payment made by the government, as stated in the 2024 Budget Statement presented by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

Egyapa Mercer indicated that the Sankofa Gas pipe is the most expensive gas pipeline in the world.

“Sankofa is very expensive. It is the most expensive pipeline in the whole world. We have paid 10 for Sankofa, the data will speak for itself,” he argued.

Reacting to Mercer's statement, John Jinapor, who was also on the program with him, expressed both amusement and shock at the claims by his colleague.

He then pulled up further details to contest the claims of Mercer, providing a detailed breakdown of the actual costs associated with the Sankofa project, as against other gas pipelines of the world.

"The Sankofa is 6.14, from PURC, the weighted average cost of gas. You take them individually and that you come to the weighted average price. They are saying that the individual one, Sankofa 6.1408, Jubilee 0. KEN 0.5 average price. So when you put them together then you have the weighted average. The current weight price is 6.079 which is less than what he quoted. When you put all the fields together that points to 6.079 not 10,” he said.

John Jinapor, after presenting his facts and figures, challenged the deputy minister to revisit his data, stating, “Go and do your analysis very well.”

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John Jinapor exposes Dep, energy Minister Agyapa Mercer's lies on Live TV???????????? pic.twitter.com/FmiNGauU4P

— Suadique Musah???? (@Suadiquemusa) November 16, 2023