Inconsistency in policies affecting WAPP's efforts - Gur Mohammed

A promising environment for execution of duties without disturbance will help speed up project completion, the Executive Board Chairman of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) has said.

Mohammed Gur Usman who was addressing a gathering at the 12th General Assembly of WAPP in Accra pushed for the implementation of a well-structured policy to compel the delivery of satisfactory services to all the electricity companies in across West Africa.

Speaking at the opening of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) 2017 General Assembly being held in Accra, Mr. Gur argued that the harmonization of policies coupled with investor support to the sub-region will foster the smooth operation of energy experts by way of leveraging more resources.

He said, “our technical and financial partners will require more support for our project but also harmonization of policies, coordination and co-financing to leverage more resources”.

“To investors, given the existence of a huge lack of access, this part of the world will present the best potential for investment. However, we need your understanding as we try to create the enabling environment for the establishment of successful electricity market,” he added.

It is expected that all 14 mainland countries in the sub-region – which make up the membership of WAPP – will be interconnected by 2019.

Among delegates at the conference are representatives of all the electricity companies in West Africa, sub-regional institutions as well as technical and financial partners.

The previous Assembly was held in 2016 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where Accra was voted as the next host city.

WAPP was created by Decision A/DEC.5/12/99 of the Twenty-second summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. By Decision A/DEC.18/01/06, the Twenty-ninth summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Niamey, adopted the Articles of Agreement for WAPP organization and function. The said summit also accorded, by Decision A/DEC.20/01/06, the status of Specialized Institution of ECOWAS.

The Headquarters of WAPP is based in Cotonou further to the signing of Headquarter Agreement with the Republic of Benin.