330kv Kumasi-Bolgatanga transmission line was a Mahama initiative - John Jinapor

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Yapei- Kusawgu Constituency in the Savannah Region and Ranking Member Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor has admonished the general public not to be deceived by the frantic and desperate attempts of the Akufo-Addo led government to appropriate and claim credit for the 330kv Kumasi-Bolgatanga transmission line project. In a statement on 19th October, 2022, copied to Bole-based Nkilgi FM, the Ranking Member of Mines and Energy Committee in Parliament said the facts clearly demonstrate that the project was conceived, negotiated, signed and commence under the previous NDC government. According to Jinapor, funding for the project was secured from the French Development Agency (AFD), with a facility of $174 million in addition to a European Union grant of $5 million dedicated to Project Management and Supervision. He reiterated that the project works commenced in March 2016 and was scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2018. Jinapor said; “Indeed, this was part of a comprehensive strategy by the Mahama-led government to position Ghana as a major exporter of Power by turning GRIDCO into a first-class transmission company and also ensure system reliability, resilience, and loss reduction in the energy sector.” He added that the project was unduly delayed for 3 years because of political interference with the tariff-setting mechanism by the Akuffo-Addo led government in 2018, which severely weakened the financial position of GRIDCO, leading to the suspension of disbursements to the Contractor by the Financier, which ultimately resulted in serious cost overruns. The Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency MP added; “this can be confirmed on page 6, paragraph 5.3 in the Joint Memorandum submitted to Parliament by the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Energy on 24th July 2019.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Yapei- Kusawgu Constituency in the Savannah Region and Ranking Member Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor has admonished the general public not to be deceived by the frantic and desperate attempts of the Akufo-Addo led government to appropriate and claim credit for the 330kv Kumasi-Bolgatanga transmission line project. In a statement on 19th October, 2022, copied to Bole-based Nkilgi FM, the Ranking Member of Mines and Energy Committee in Parliament said the facts clearly demonstrate that the project was conceived, negotiated, signed and commence under the previous NDC government. According to Jinapor, funding for the project was secured from the French Development Agency (AFD), with a facility of $174 million in addition to a European Union grant of $5 million dedicated to Project Management and Supervision. He reiterated that the project works commenced in March 2016 and was scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2018. Jinapor said; “Indeed, this was part of a comprehensive strategy by the Mahama-led government to position Ghana as a major exporter of Power by turning GRIDCO into a first-class transmission company and also ensure system reliability, resilience, and loss reduction in the energy sector.” He added that the project was unduly delayed for 3 years because of political interference with the tariff-setting mechanism by the Akuffo-Addo led government in 2018, which severely weakened the financial position of GRIDCO, leading to the suspension of disbursements to the Contractor by the Financier, which ultimately resulted in serious cost overruns. The Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency MP added; “this can be confirmed on page 6, paragraph 5.3 in the Joint Memorandum submitted to Parliament by the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Energy on 24th July 2019.