The meeting of the Committee of Ministers (CoM) for West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) has ended in Accra, Ghana, with Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, assuming the chairman position of the committee.
He took over from Togolese Minister for Mines and Energy Resources, Robert Kossi Eklo.
In his remarks, Minister for Energy and Green Transition for Ghana, John Abdullai Jinapor recalled the role of the WAGP in the economic development of the region and the importance of collaboration by the WAGP stakeholders to ensure the energy needs of the region is met to drive industrial growth and enhance regional economic integration.
Hon. Kingnidé Paulin AKPONNA, Minister of Energy, Water and Mines of Benin; Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe EKPO; Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Nigeria and Hon. Mawusi KAKATSI, Minister Delegate for Mines and Energy Resources, Togo who represented Hon. Robert Kossi EKLO, Minister for Mines and Energy Resources of Togo and the Chairman, Committee of Ministers during the CoM Meeting at Kempinski Hotel, Accra, Ghana
He commended Nigeria for its efforts in enhancing gas supply to the WAGP and assured of Ghana’s support and collaboration for the development of naturel gas for the betterment of the region and Africa as a whole.
The Minister for Mines and Energy Resources, Togo, Robert Kossi Eklo added that the WAGP appears to be the key infrastructure for sub regional economic development and integration designed to supply natural gas to electricity producers and industrial users of the ECOWAS States.
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“This is unique in its kind over the African continent, this infrastructure is a real pride for us and therefore we need to ensure sustainability and increase its performance to meet many expectations from it. He commended the various reforms undertaken so far to enhance the performance of the WAGP and the key stakeholders particularly WAGPA, WAPCo, the Shippers and the States for their roles in achieving the reforms”.
The Director General of West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA), Mrs Chafari K. Hanawa highlighted achievements of the WAGP since commencement of commercial operations in 2011.
This she said include the creation of a reginal market for export of Nigeria’s gas which has helped the buyer countries to make significant cost savings over alternative fuels; the building of highly skilled personnel by WAPCo who are managing the infrastructure (WAGP) and the successive tariff reviews by WAGPA and WAPCo which has culminated in the current Tariff Period Four (TP4) that saw a reduction of tariffs by 10% for gas transported from Nigeria, and by 12% for gas transported from Ghana.
She also mentioned the monitoring and inspection that recently ended with the pipeline pigging exercise, which ensured that the exercise was well conducted by WAPCo in a safe, efficient and timely manner.
On her part, the MD of WAPCo, MrsMitchell Burket spoke on the need to have sufficient gas supply on the WAGP.
She assured of WAPCo’s readiness to effectively and efficiently function, provided gas supplies are met.
