Skip to main content

AGI calls for short-term plan to end energy crisis

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) is calling for a short-term, time-based action plan to reduce the energy deficit in order to resolve the current energy crisis.
The call follows the unprecedented negative growth in manufacturing in 2014.
Manufacturing recorded the worst growth rate in recent memory of negative 8.0% in 2014 as the sector continues to shrink.
The AGI fears that Ghana risks losing its industrial base if Government policies do not quickly address these challenges to revive the industrial sector.
This was in a communiqué issued by the National Council after a strategic workshop in Ada, where a critical look was taken at the impact of its advocacy efforts for industry.
The workshop examined some of the major barriers to private sector development in Ghana, particularly ensuring availability of power for industrial growth in 2015 and beyond.
The communiqué reminded Government of its promise to bring on board Emergency Power Barges to increase the generation capacity by the end of the first quarter of 2015.
The AGI is also calling for complete institutional reforms of the operations and management of entities responsible for the entire power sector.
The communiqué called on the Ministry of Energy and the Energy Commission to make available the Strategic National Energy Plan (SNEP) 2015-2030.
In addition, the five-year Energy Sector Strategic Development plan covering 2015-2020 should also be released for purposes of effective implementation and monitoring.
It asked Government to, as a matter of urgency, ensure full operation of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), considering its significant contribution to value-addition in the manufacturing sector.
In addition, TOR’s operation would ensure availability of Residual Fuel Oil for steam boilers of industry at competitive cost.
The communiqué said the high volume of imports would not inure to the growth of local industries and that AGI expected to see a programme to scale up local manufacturing through import substitution, where local raw material sources existed.
It called for extensive and effective stakeholder consultation prior to implementation of major policies and programmes.
“AGI is calling on all regulatory bodies and other institutions to avoid rushing the consultation processes leading to implementation of key policies that impact on businesses,” the communiqué said.
 
GNA: Credit

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vodafone sells 45% shares in Verizon for US$130 billion

Vodafone has sold its 45% stake in Verizon Wireless to US telecoms group Verizon Communications in one of the biggest deals in corporate history. The US$130 billion (£84bn) deal was announced by Vodafone after the close of trading on the London Stock Exchange. The company will return £54 billion to its shareholders, of which £22 billionn will go to shareholders in the UK. Vodafone will also invest money in its business, with funds earmarked for high speed mobile phone networks. It said that by 2017 its main five European markets would have almost complete 4G coverage. Possibly it would be wrong to carp and wring hands that Vodafone won't be paying a penny of tax to the British taxman” Vodafone group chairman Gerard Kleisterlee said: "The transaction will position Vodafone strongly to pursue our leadership strategy in mobile and unified communication services for consumers and enterprises, both in our developed markets and across our emerging markets businesses." The...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shortage of weighing cards hit major hospitals in Accra

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong- Daily Express There is scarcity of Child Health Records Book (weighing cards), in some major public hospitals in the capital, information reaching the Daily Express indicates. Checks by this paper revealed that while some of the hospitals have being encountering the shortage for about a year now, others started experiencing it six months ago. In place of the Child Health Record Book (weighing card), the nursing mothers are given a single card on which information of children are recorded on it. Those hospitals identified are the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle Bu Polyclinic, Kaneshie Polyclinic, Adabraka Polyclinic and the Ridge Hospital. At the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the nursing mothers are given yellow cards in place of the weighing cards. The Public Relations Secretariat at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital said such information has not come to their notice and for that matter they cannot comment on it. “We do not have some ...
Post a Comment
Read more

ABL launches chibuku super in Bolgatanga

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong sarpong007@gmail.com Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) has officially launched the Chibuku Super drink at Bolgatanga in the Upper East region with the aim of reaching a lot of customers. Mr. Thomas Nii Ponku, Supervisor in charge of Chibuku Super at ABL told Daily Express that the management decided to launch the Chibuku Super drink in the Upper East region because they’ve realized it is similar to a traditional drink in the region. “Chibuku is like a well developed pito, a traditional drink made from fermented millet or sorghum in the Northern part of Ghana. So the idea is to provide them with similar drink,” he added. Mr. Nii Ponku disclosed this when members of the Institute of Finance and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) toured the facility of ABL to acquaint themselves with the expansion project at the factory. He mentioned that after a feasibility study, they realized there is a potential market for the product in the northern part of Ghana ...
Post a Comment
Read more