There's nothing wrong with renaming AMERI to Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant - IES

Following the brouhaha surrounding the renaming of the Africa and Middle East Resource Investment (AMERI) Power Plant to Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant, the Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Security (IES), Nana Amoasi VII, has indicated that there is nothing wrong with the move taken by government.

According to him, the exercise, yet to be undertaken by the Volta River Authority could be traced in its naming patterns of power plants.

Speaking on the growing development on Accra-based TV3 on Monday, April 15, 2024, Nana Amoasi VII said, “There is absolutely nothing wrong with renaming AMERI.”

He explained that the initial name of the power plant was attributed to the group of people who brought them to Ghana.

The Executive Director of IES also noted that the plant have been handed over to the Government of Ghana after an agreement to bring them under a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) arrangement.

“They agreed that they will bring the plants under a build, own, operate and transfer arrangement…the plants have been transferred to Ghana after five years of operation. And so it is no more owned in any shape by the African Middle East and Resource Investment Company,” he stated.

The Volta River Authority (VRA) in a Facebook post announced plans for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to commission the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant at Anwomaso in the Ashanti Region.

Reacting to this, the Director of the Legal Directorate for the National Democratic Congress, Godwin Edudzi Tameklo said the renaming of the power plant was a deliberate ploy to deceive Ghanaians.

He noted that the AMERI power plant which was initially procured by former President John Dramani Mahama, was aimed at addressing the country's enduring power challenges,

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.

SA/MA