Mines & Energy

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), Dr. Ben K.D Asante says the entity is ready to support journalists to upgrade their knowledge on oil and gas reporting.

 

According to Dr. Asante, GNGC has an offer to help journalists acquire more knowledge in the energy sector through a formal and a semi-formal approach.

 

He explained that  the formal will cater for two journalists nominated by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on a scholarship package to obtain a degree in the oil and gas sector at an accredited institution.

 

The second option he reiterated, is to offer training opportunities to journalists willing to enrich their knowledge in the country’s energy sector, particularly in the gas sector.

Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor(lLeft) with Dr.Ben Asante,Ghana Gas Company CEO and other executives of GJA

 

Dr. Asante disclosed these when he received a delegation from the GJA, led by the President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, in the GNGC boardroom.

 

“What we expect from GJA is fair and accurate reportage of issues…it will augur well for all of us to get educated in areas we are reporting on,” the Chief Executive Officer told the delegation.

 

Dr. Ben Asante said he is happy to avail himself to deliver lectures on energy sector particularly on oil and gas, whenever he is called upon to do so.

 

The CEO expressed concern about how some persons appear on media platforms as experts and misinform the public on energy issues and further appealed to them to be circumspect in the manner in which they empanel people to offer so-called solutions on energy-related issues.

 

Speaking on the strategic role GNGC play in the energy sector, Dr. Asante said it is worthy to note that, in spite of the hardship facing the economy, the supply of electricity to homes and industries has been quite stable, attributing this to the crucial role the company plays in the supply of natural gas, to power the generating plants.

 

Earlier, President of the GJA, Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor commended Dr. Asante and the Ghana National Gas company, for the continuous support towards activities of the Association, key among which is the yearly support towards the annual GJA awards.

 

Mr Dwumfuor informed the GNGC leadership that it is the GJA’s mission to deepen and to strengthen the bond in the relationship between the two entities.

 

He expressed gratitude to the CEO and management of GNGC for the warm reception and for the progressive discussions held between the two bodies, and also used the opportunity to request GNGC’s support in the renovation of the press centre.

 

The Head of Corporate Communication, Mr. Ernest Owusu-Bempah in his remarks, encouraged journalists to read more about the sector so that they can actively participate in programs organized by players in oil and gas.

 

The delegation also included Linda Asante Agyei, Vice president; Rebecca Epke, PRO; Audrey Dekalu Treasurer; Dominic Hlodzi, Organising Secretary and Kofi Yeboah, General Secretary.

 

 

 

 

Green-Tech manufacturing company, Agilitee, is rolling-out its electric delivery scooters in South Africa.

The company has been drip feeding the market with its product since last year and has today decided to launch the bikes in an industrial scale.

The scooter is one of the products showcased at the prestigious company launch held in Johannesburg last May.

The EV giant is set to increase its deliveries in Zimbabwe on the 1st of September 2022 after a test run was done in May this year.

Plans are afoot to roll out the products to the rest of Africa.The founder shared on his social media platforms that the roll out has started and its roll out comes with Africa’s first AI Helmet.

The electric scooter being rolled out is Agilitee – Loadex which has a range of 70km per charge.

The EV giant uses swapping machines that allow owners to swap the loadex removable batteries within 60 seconds and continue with their deliveries.

Those who use Agilitee Loadex swap batteries for free of charge and this is great saving for the drivers and owners.

Delivery Scooters in South Africa spend between R1000 and R1500 on petrol per week which is R4000 to R6000 per month which will now become profit for the drivers and owners.

Agilitee intends to roll out 20, 000 delivery scooters in Africa by Christmas.Speaking to this publication billionaire founder stated that, no one will do what Agilitee does its things.

“We are here to end poverty, imagine what used to be R6000 petrol cost per month in South Africa for the delivery scooters will now become profit that will allow the drivers to get more scooters and grow the business. God is doing a new thing in Africa, the time has come for Africa to rise and I am humbled that God chose village people like us to spearhead the charge.Agilitee puts purpose over profit, its time Africa has a Savior that cares about change more than profit,” said Dr Lamba.

Agilitee is currently busy with an IPO on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the company is raising $2 billion by selling 10% to investors.

Dr Lamba owns 77.5% of Agilitee and is the largest shareholder making him the richest person in South Africa and second richest man in Africa with an estimated net worth of $15,5 billion.

SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH

Ghana is one of the world’s top 10 gold producers and first in Africa. As such, the mining industry is one of the major driving force in terms of government revenues and a leading source of export earnings. It also offer employment opportunity for people, both direct and indirect.

Unfortunately, it is also considered to be the major contributor of human rights violation, widespread of pollution of communities’ water sources, deprivation of communities, loss of livelihoods and major promoter of environmental injustices in Ghana (CHRAJ Report, 2008).

Some scenes from the awareness creation

As a result, Environmental Youth Ambassadors (EYA), Sunyani based Association led by Mr. Kyeremeh Evans – Leader,embarked on vigorous awareness and environmental sensitization campaign in the mining affected communities within Tano North Municipality in the Ahafo Region of Ghana. The said area is affected by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited,Ahafo North gold mining project.

The campaign touched on the deprivation of communities and communities’ farmlands, loss of livelihood, pollution of water bodies, dust and noise pollution, high cost of living, increase in unemployment, hardships, loss of indigenous plants and animals and other forms of social-vices.

The campaign took place in Yamfo and Afrisipa, two of the major mining affected communities in the area and adopted the use of community fora and community information center as an appropriate strategic to reach all the relevant stakeholders and opinion leaders in the area. The people were sensitized about the need to document every decision and agreement they reached with the company, engage in regular monitoring of the company’s activities and frequent consultation of experts’ opinion.

Over three thousand (3000) community people within the mining affected areas benefited from the program with about 65% of them being women. Women are the most dependence of the environment: food, water, firewood and other natural resources and so when the environment is affected by activities such as mining their vulnerability and shocks get augmented.

Environmental Youth Ambassadors (EYA), is a Sunyani based Association comprising youth in the various universities who live Sunyanin (male and female) who have come together to promote community rights and environmental justice. The project was financed by the Global Greengrants Fund in USA.

Earlier today the Member of Parliament for Effiduase Asokore Constituency, Hon. Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, commissioned an electrification project in the Buoya community, Sekyere East District.

The project which is the first of its kind in the community will ensure that electricity is accessible to the inhabitants and serve as a focal point for extension into other surrounding communities. This is in line with the government’s plans to improve electricity access to all rural communities in the country.

Also in attendance were the DCE-Sekyere East District, Hon. Osei Adiyiah and Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr William Owuraku Aidoo, graced the occasion and used the opportunity to educate the gathering about electricity safety and energy efficiency tips.

He called on the good people of Buoya to keep faith in the NPP as has been reflected in their voting patterns because more developmental projects have been earmarked to be undertaken in the Effiduase Asokore Constituency and Ghana as a whole.

Information reaching the TNTOnline indicates that there is a gas explosion at Kumasi Shoe Factory within the Asokwa Municipality in Kumasi.Details

Meanwhile,Nhyira 104.5fm,a local based radio station in Kumasi reports that three(3) people are said to have been injured in the explosion so far That the gas tanker is alleged to have been discharging when it caught fire.Fire fighters are battling the flame as the area has been condoned from the public.

More details to come…

By: A news desk report

Ghanaians across the country, have been urged to contribute their quota towards the fight against illegal mining popularly known as galamsey .They have also been entreated to join hands to ensure that all school going age or children are totally stop from all forms of mining particularly galamsey which is not only dangerous for their lives but poses a serious threat to their future.

The leadership of Women Environmental Defenders’ Association (WEDA),a non-governmental Organization(NGO) which main focus is to empower women and children made the appeal during aggressive  from community to Community campaign dubbed “STOP USING CHILDREN IN MINING”.

The NGO with a motto ”Women and Children Freedom Advocacy” stormed Ahwerewa and Asuonwunu communities among others all in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality of Ashanti region with their campaign of “Stop using children in mining”.

They engaged the community members, opinion leaders, parents and their children to explain the need for parents to enroll their children to school and dangers associated with children engage in mining especially galamsey business.

Madam Comfort Nyamekye leader of the Association who was heavily supported by Anna Cudjoe,Agyeiwaa Mary and Helina Agyei in the campaign said their target  is to ensure elimination of children from all forms of mining, especially galamsey.She  lamented that the rate of children engage in galamsey at Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality among other parts of the country is alarming and all hands need to be on deck to fight against the canker.

The Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), the country’s premier midstream gas business company has proven to the world that the African, and for that matter Ghanaians, can change their own destiny.

 

The company hitherto managed by SINOPEC, a Chinese Company since its inception in 2011, in April 2017, indigenised through a blend of the Board and the vision of the Chief Executive Officer, Dr K.D. Asante and the Management.

 

The indigenisation process of its plant is one of the major feats chalked by the company as it has saved the country about $3million monthly, a total savings of about $144 million within the last four years.

 

That evolution has eventually given Ghanaian engineers the full mandate over the operations and maintenance of the processing plant and associate pipeline infrastructure, which initially were being staffed by Chinese engineers.

 

The fact remained that Nigeria as a country, took 40 years to indigenise after discovering gas, while Trinidad and Tobago took 50 years. However, it took Ghana Gas Company only three years to indigenise, which many maintained is a major achievement that every Ghanaian should pride themselves with.

 

The GNGC is also trying to beat down the contractual arrangement between Ghana and Nigeria to even lower that contractual volume from 120 million cubic standard (MMcf) per day to 50 MMcf.

This according to the company, is because Ghana is currently producing about 300 million cubic standards of gas valued at 6.08 dollars per MMfc unit a day, which is enough for the country’s domestic consumption. Ghana Gas started a daily production of 16 MMfc in 2015 and shot up to 90 MMcf in 2016.

 

Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Assin Central and the Board Chairman of GNGC, did not mince his words, when he described the company as “the shining star and an example of a black man can do it too.”

 

Speaking at the company’s maiden media soirée to mark its 10th anniversary, the Board Chairman said: “So far, you have proven yourself that the black man is capable and when we say the black star of Africa… the shining star… then l will say Ghana Gas is the shining star and an example of a black man can do it too.

 

“When you look at Ghana Gas today, it is one of the viable government companies in the country,” he said, and commended the CEO for showing a good example for other companies to emulate.

 

Mr Agyapong said Dr Asante and his team have turned the company from what they knew to be Chinese managed company to purely Ghanaian managed one, showing to the world that he (Dr Asante) believed Ghanaians have the capability to do it also.

 

He, therefore, urged the team to keep their decent work, adding that “You’re the shining star of Africa for others to emulate…. What l am seeing today tells us that black man, we can make it too”.

 

The company was established in 2011, upon recommendation of National Gas Development Taskforce for evaluation and treatment of associated gas from the Jubilee Field production and has since been incorporated in July 2011 with the responsibility to build, own and operate infrastructure required for the gathering, processing, transporting, and marketing of natural gas resources in the country.

 

Workforce

 

GNGC, with a workforce of professionals and specialists in the field of business, is responsible for gathering, processing, transporting, and selling natural gas liquid for both power and industrial uses.

 

Vision and Mission

 

Its vision is supported by three development pillars, namely, Business Development, which encapsulates both operations and maintenance: Human Capacity Development, and Community Engagement.

 

The mission is to contribute to Ghana’s Gas economic development by providing and operating the infrastructure required for gathering, processing, and delivering natural gas resources, in a safe, cost effective, responsible, and reliable manner to customers.

 

Dr. Asante, on his part, said Ghana Gas was positioning itself to play a role as a transition fuel handler and supplier, and as well steps in where coal and oil will exit.

 

He said the Company is expecting more gas from the jubilee field. “We expect that the gas volumes at the Jubilee Field will increase from the current maximum of 150 MMcf to about 450 MMcf per day”.

 

“We are expecting to use the excess gas in the area of non-power application of gas, so we will definitely feed the thermal plants, but the rest will go into fertilizer production, vehicular transport in the form of compressed natural gas as well as for mineral processing”.

 

He commended the staff for their dedication to service, which he said had brought the company that far. “In my 30 years’ experience in the sector, I found that most successful professionals in the corporate environment, typically have two key attributes -knowledge and challenging work… and Ghana Gas Staff have both… they have a deep reservoir in the knowledge in petroleum industry in general and gas sector. They are also undoubtedly one of the hardest working staff in the sector.”

 

He said their vision is to continue to be reliable and trusted gas services company in the country and the Company is looking forward in building and enhancing indigenous intellectual capacity for the sustainability of the industry.

 

Beside operations, which is a daily routine, the company do regular maintenance for the critical facilities by providing effective and efficient operations and maintenance culture that is compliant to health, safety, security, and environmental standards in codes.

 

The company is also moving along with all the 16 regions in terms of the provision of social amenities for communities it operates. Through its comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility policy, the company has achieved noteworthy feats in the areas of education, healthcare, water, sanitation, and sports.

 

Expansion

 

In its quest to go beyond the initial infrastructure it came to meet, the company is looking at a planned onshore gas pipeline to link Takoradi and Tema, the two critical load centers when it comes to gas in Ghana, to ensure both reliability and availability of the infrastructure to transport gas in bi-directional function between the two cities.

 

It also intends to expand its gas processing plant to handle the incremental upstream coming from jubilee enclave and plans are underway to award the contract soon.

The company also has plans to install a pipeline between Atuabo, Côte d’Ivoire border to Côte d’Ivoire, which will facilitate bidirectional transportation of gas between the two countries.

Ghana Gas and partners are looking to install pipeline from Prestea through Dawusaso and then to Kumasi to serve the bauxite enclave. The aim is to move thermal generation of power from the coast of the country.

The company has indeed proven that all is not lost. When the right minds are put together for a common purpose, things can be done well for the socio-economic development of the country.

 

The chief of Jachie in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti region, Baffour Kwaku Amoateng IV, on Friday led some residents of the town to plant 5000 trees in his community.

The tree planting exercise was part of the “Green Ghana Project” in which government was making effort at planting 20 million trees across the country.

Speaking at a brief ceremony before the tree planting at Jachie, Baffour Amoateng IV, commended the government for initiating the tree planting exercise to help restore the degraded farmlands and other vegetative cover which had been destroyed through various human activities in the country.

The Jachiehene pledged to ensure that all the trees planted were protected so they grow to help safeguard the environment for both present and future generations.

He underscored the need for all well-meaning Ghanaians to embrace the Project and own it, to sustain it.

Some of the tree species planted were Militia, and royal palm acacia.

The Customer Service officer at the Bekwai office of the Forestry Commission, Mr Kusi Appiah, said the District has targeted planting 450,000 trees this year.

He stated that his outfit would ensure effective coordination and monitoring of institutions and persons who took participated in the exercise to ensure that the trees flourish.

“Trees are significant to the survival of human beings. You have heard that when the last tree dies, the last man also dies but you have not taken time to interrogate this statement”. He said.

“We are going to commence four hundred and fifty thousand trees in Bekwai District which is commencing today, but if we plant one million and illegal miners destroy ten million, what have we gain. In essence, all hands must be on deck to fight this canker”. Mr Kusi said.

 

By: A news desk report

A-Day Orientation Workshop on Ghana’s Mining Laws has been organized for the Traditional Leaders in Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Ahafo Region of Ghana. The workshop was chaired by the Paramount Chief of Duayaw-Nkwanta Nana Boakye Tromo III.

Speaking at the worshop, Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku (Executive Director) of Livelihood & Environment Ghana – LEG and resource person for the workshop took participants through Article 126 (1962), PNDC Law 153, Article 257 (6) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 1 of the Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703, 2006). Mr. Adjei-Poku said in terms of ownership of Ghana’s minerals, all the articles mentioned above place the Republic of Ghana as owner but vested in the President on behalf of, and in trust for the people of Ghana.

Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku ,Executive Director of Livelihood & Environment Ghana – LEG addressing the traditional leaders

The workshop revealed the president, mineral right holder (mining company) and the mining  affected communities as the three major stakeholders when it comes to mining operations in Ghana. And that each of the three stakeholders has some basic rights and responsibilities provided in for by the various mining regulations.

The resource person noted that,  the president have the power for compulsory acquisition of land and property, Article 20 (2) of the Constitution and section 2 of the Minerals and Mining Act, Act 703, 2006.

He further disclosed that, the president have the power to grant mineral license, revoke, suspend, terminate or punish mineral rights holder offenders (sections 5, 68, 69, 87, 99, Act 703, 2006).

The resource person outlined the powers of the mining right holders (companies) which  include power of entry, power for reconnaissance, prospecting, exploration and mining. He also mentioned mining companies power to obtain, divert, impound, convey rivers, streams and underground reservoir and power to export, dispose or sell minerals ( sections 9 (1), 13 (9), 17 and 6 (1) of the Act 703, 2006.

 

The resource person also elaborated the powers and rights of the mining affected communities. The constitution and the mining law acknowledge the mining affected communities as lawful occupiers and have surface right over the land. And those powers and rights can only be taken by a prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation,  he emphasized (Article 20 (2a), section 73(1) and section 74 (1 a up  to 1 g) of Act 703, 2006).

He said the sector minister and Newmont own the people particular the Chiefs (allodial owners) right to information about the development of bthe mine even before the commercement of the mining operation (section 13 (1,2, 3a,).

Nananom were disppointed about the failure of Newmont and as ewl as the sector minister to share information regarding the Ahafo North operation as stipulated in the Act.

Mr. Adjei-Poku disclosed the communities access to compensation payment within three months after an amount of compesation has been determined and further access to ten percent interest on the amonunt for each month that the compensation remains unpaid by the company (Section 4 (1 and 2 of CRR, 2012).

On the issue of resettlement, the resource person revealed that the displaced inhabitants are supposed to be resettled in suitable alternative land with due regards to their economic well-being, social and cultural values (Article 20 (3) of the constitution, section73(4) of Act 703, 2006 and section 6 (1) of the L.I. 2175 CRR, 2012. Again, he disclosed that the mining lease holder has the responsibility to engage prior consultation with the relevant District Assembly, Chiefs and the inhabitants to be displaced on resettlement planing and implementation (section7 (a) of the L.I 2175, CRR, 2006).

Mr. Adjei-Poku in conclusion hinted participants the responsibility of the mineral right holder to resprect human rigts and to comply with all regulations in the Act 703, 2006 and other enactments for the protection of the environment (section 18 (2) Act 703, 2006).

Mrs. Felicity Ashon a spokes person for Afrisipa community women farmers thanked the traditional leaders for availing themselves for the training and used the opporttunity to expressed her sincere gratitude to Global Greengrants Fund (GGF) for supporting the advocacy work of the Afrisipa community and women farmers in particular. He pleaded with the chiefs to support the course of the property owners and for that matter women farmers to get better compensation package from Newmont in order to achieve SDGs 1, 2, 3 and 13 which aim at endding povert, zero hunger, quality education and sustainable life for all.