Government to rename AMERI Power Plant to Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant?

The Volta River Authority (VRA) has announced plans for the president to commission what would be known in the coming days as the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant at Anwomaso in the Ashanti Region.

The move has since caused a stir as some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress have accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of deploying deceptive means to rename the Ameri Power Plant.

In a Facebook post shared by the authority confirming the president’s attendance for the commissioning, it wrote; “5 days more to the commissioning of the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant (K1TPP) at Anwomaso, in the Oforikrom Municipality of the Ashanti Region. Stay tuned for more updates.”

Reacting to the development in a Facebook post, the Director of the Legal Directorate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo accused the Akufo Addo-Bawumia administration of misleading the Ghanaian people, especially people in the Ashanti Region.

He mentioned that the government has decided to rename the Ameri Power Plant to Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant.

He argued that the renaming of the power plant is a deliberate ploy to deceive Ghanaians, particularly those residing in the Ashanti Region, where the plant is located.

He also called for vigilance among Ghanaians and urged them not to fall for what he views as a misleading tactic by the current administration.

He further asserted that the Ameri Power Plant, initially procured by former President John Dramani Mahama, was intended to address the country's enduring power challenges, boasting of a capacity to generate 25 megawatts of electricity.

Edudzi Tameklo in his post also acknowledged John Mahama's role in acquiring the power plant as part of efforts to alleviate the country's power crisis during his tenure.

“Bawumia and Akufo-Addo, out of shame, have decided to repackage and rename the AMERI plants as Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant. This is what they are planning to go and commission.

“This corrupt, incompetent, useless and wasteful government are determined to hoodwink voters in the Ashanti region with the renaming and repackaging.

“This administration has failed to do anything meaningful in power generation,” he posted.

The government on February 1, 2021, resumed ownership of the 250-megawatt (MW) Africa and Middle East Resource Investment (AMERI) thermal power plant according to terms of the deal.

The Dubai-based firm arrived in the country back in October 2015 to assist in resolving the power crisis at the time.

An agreement was then signed by the erstwhile John Mahama government at a total cost of US$510 million on a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis.





MA/BB