Ghana’s Minister for Planning, Prof George Gyan-Baffour has said that the country must speed up the processes to build its own gas pipeline.
According to him, Ghana must prioritise this agenda in order to be largely independent in that sector as well.
Prof Gyan-Baffour said that such an infrastructure will reduce Ghana’s dependence on the West African Gas Pipeline, which is currently used to transport gas from Nigeria to Ghana.
His comments come after the recent negotiations between Ghana and the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), as well as the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) to reduce the cost of gas transported to Ghana.
Prof Gyan-Baffour said that when Ghana builds its own gas pipeline, it will in the long-term influence the cost of gas, which will also affect the cost of power to Ghanaians.
“A lot of people are thinking that yes in the short term Ghana should get the cost of gas transported via the West African Gas Pipeline reduced. But in the long run, we may have to have our own gas pipeline, to ensure that we don’t have to rely so much on their gas pipeline.”
He was of the view that the time to begin the pipeline construction is now since further delays will cost the country.
“We need it very quickly. When we have our own gas and maybe we want to move it from the western part to the eastern part of the country, you can do that at will without having to depend on somebody’s pipeline. In the long run, my view is that we need to have our own parallel gas pipeline to ensure that there is a continuous flow.”
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