The Ellembelle MP, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has criticised the Akufo-Addo government’s initiative to rename the Ameri Power Plants.
The Volta River Authority (VRA)’s recent announcement on Facebook regarding the commissioning of the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant (K1TPP), situated in Anwomaso within the Oforikrom Municipality of the Ashanti Region, drew criticism from Mr Buah.
The Deputy Majority Leader condemned government’s endeavour to rebrand the Ameri Power Plants as the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plants, denouncing it as “deceptive and shameful.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, April 14, Mr Buah expressed his dismay, arguing that the decision reflects a deliberate attempt by the government to obfuscate its failures in the energy sector.
The former Power Minister said the renaming of the plants is a calculated move to conceal the government’s shortcomings and manipulate historical facts, thereby deceiving the public regarding the origins of crucial infrastructure.
He emphasised the importance of maintaining transparency and integrity in government actions, particularly concerning essential infrastructure projects.
Mr Buah urged the government to prioritise honesty and accountability in its dealings, rather than resorting to misleading tactics to gloss over deficiencies.
“The rebranding of the Ameri Power Plants as the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant is not merely a superficial change but a cynical attempt to distort historical facts and mislead the public about the true origins of this critical infrastructure.”
“It is however important that the people of Ghana do not forget the history of the Ameri power plant.”
“The Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government’s pattern of renaming projects initiated by previous administrations is a clear reflection of their lack of innovation and leadership in the energy sector,” an excerpt of his statement said.
Below is Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah’s statement
The renaming of AMERI Power Plant to “Kumasi Power Plant” is deceptive and shameful.
The Akufo-Addo and Bawumia administration’s latest stunt in the energy sector epitomizes their penchant for deception and lack of originality.
By shamelessly rebranding the Ameri Power Plants as the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant, they are attempting to conceal their incompetence and lack of substantive progress with a facade of false achievements.
This blatant move to rename existing infrastructure in a bid to claim credit for the hard work of their predecessors not only lacks integrity but also insults the intelligence of the Ghanaian people.
Under the visionary leadership of John Dramani Mahama, the Ameri power plants were strategically deployed to combat the debilitating power crisis known as ‘dumsor’.
These plants, each capable of generating 25 megawatts of electricity, served as a vital lifeline for the nation during a time of dire need.
However, rather than acknowledging the foresight and proactive measures taken by the previous administration, Akufo-Addo and Bawumia chose to discredit, vilify, and undermine Mahama’s initiatives for their own political gain at the time.
Fast forward to the second year of the AKUFFO Addo/Bawumia government. They hurriedly decided to renegotiate the Ameri agreement by extending the five-year deal with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group (AMERI) Energy the operator of the the 300MW emergency power plant in Ghana to 15 years and dubiously bringing onboard a new company from Greece, Mytilineous International Trading Company, to manage the plant for the remainder of the contract period.
But for the vigilance of the NDC minority in parliament and civil society organisations, Ghana would have ended up paying over Ghc1 billion under the new arrangement.
When the President was caught, he shifted the blame by claiming that he was “misled” and consequently fired the then Energy Minister, Mr Boakye Agyarko.
Fortunately, the Ameri plant is now fully paid for and rightfully owned by the people of Ghana.
But that was not the end of the drama, the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration made the decision to relocate six units of the plant to Anwomaso in the Ashanti region, a move intended to generate 150 megawatts of electricity for the middle belt of the country.
By generating 150 megawatts of electricity for the middle belt of the country, the government sought to create a facade of progress while conveniently sidestepping the broader challenges plaguing the energy sector.
The Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government’s renaming spree is not limited to universities but now extends to the power sector.
The rebranding of the Ameri Power Plants as the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant is not merely a superficial change but a cynical attempt to distort historical facts and mislead the public about the true origins of this critical infrastructure.
It is however important that the people of Ghana do not forget the history of the Ameri power plant.
The Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government’s pattern of renaming projects initiated by previous administrations is a clear reflection of their lack of innovation and leadership in the energy sector.
The once-thriving energy sector that was bequeathed to this government by President Mahama has regrettably been eroded under their watch. We are currently struggling with Dumsor due to the indebtedness made worse by this administration.
The good people of Ghana deserve leaders who are committed to honesty, accountability, and genuine progress, not hollow promises and superficial gestures.
