Accra (Greater Accra) -- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday said Ghana has resolved to play a leading role in the unification of the West African Sub-region through the energy sector.
He said the idea to unify countries within the sub-region had been a dream over the years, but such unification required a basic infrastructure and the energy sector could provide the needed impetus.
President Kufuor made the pledge when ECOWAS Ministers of Energy on the West African Power Pool Project (WAPP) attending their third meeting in Accra called on him at the Castle, Osu.
The WAPP is a 15-year development project to establish a regional energy policy conceived about 20 years ago when serious electricity shortages began to occur in most countries and the need for action became apparent.
The one-day meeting, attended by ministers from about 14 countries including Ghana, Benin, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal and representatives from some donor agencies such as the World Bank and the Kuwait Fund, was to initiate immediate steps to begin the process for the Project.
President Kufuor said the Accra meeting, which was not attended by only technocrats, but representatives of donor agencies would make a break-through in the project, adding, "this should augur well for the sub-region to realise its dream and vision in the energy sector".
He said the meeting would, in addition review the West African Gas Pipeline Project, which was moving at a snail's pace. Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy who led the Ministers, said deliberations at the meeting indicated realisation of the objectives of the project.
He said on its completion, countries with energy surplus could assist countries that were deficient in energy supply to create a balance in energy supply. Miss Aribisala Remi, Deputy Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, said WAPP had been incorporated into projects to be financed under the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
She appealed to the governments of Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria to use their influence on other member countries to improve on the pace of the implementation of the project, which on completion would create more employment opportunities and improve the health and educational facilities in the sub-region.
