Remove bottlenecks to Gas pipeline project – Minister

The meeting of the Steering Committee of Ministers and Sponsors Management Committee of the West African Gas Pipeline Project (WAGPP) opened in Accra on Thursday with a call on member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to work towards integration.

Mr Freddie Blay, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament who made the call, expressed dissatisfaction about progress of ECOWAS towards regional integration since its formation despite the tremendous efforts made by the founding fathers.

"If the vision of our founding fathers had been carried through, the fruits would have been evident by now. What we see, however, is a fragmented development with no real improvement in the material standard of our people."

The Meeting brought together Ministers of Energy from Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria, and other stakeholders including the USAID, Chevron (Nigeria) and the ECOWAS Secretariat to review the status WAGPP.

Mr Blay said: "As a region we have no choice but to pool resources, integrate our economies and achieve for our people improved living and economic conditions."

He asked member states of the project to remove all bottlenecks that have militated against its speedy implementation.

"For us in Ghana," he said, "WAGPP is a demonstration of the desire to establish a durable and a flexible institutional, legal and regulatory arrangement to promote regional energy integration."

The First Deputy Speaker urged the stakeholders to work assiduously to make the pipeline project become operational by 2004.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Ghana's Minister of Energy, expressed the hope that the project would attract foreign direct investments into the various countries.

He said he is also optimistic that the project will be capable of spurring 1.2 billion dollars in industrial development in the sub-region.

Mr Kan-Dapaah urged Energy Ministers of implementing countries not to lose sight of the initial guiding principles which motivated the project from its inception - the mutual requirement of Ghana, Togo and Benin to produce cheaper, cleaner and reliable electricity and Nigeria's need to reduce flaring of its natural gas for environmental reasons.

Dr Frank J. Young, Mission Director of USAID, Ghana, said the willingness of Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria to harmonise their regulatory tariff and energy policy regimes as well as their environmental approaches demonstrate a tangible commitment to regional security and economic growth.

"In a region better known for conflicts than compromise, your work stands as a visible reminder of what strong leadership can accomplish," he said.