Yemisi Izuora
The West African Gas Pipeline Company, WAPCo, has revealed that, Ghana is yet to settle outstanding debts owed Nigeria Gas Company contrary to earlier reports that all outstanding debts had been fully settled.
According to a General Manager at WAPCo Mike Enendu, government still owes the Nigerian gas company N-Gas, which means the government still owes WAPCo.
His comment comes at a time that it has been widely reported that all outstanding debt owed Nigeria’s Gas (N-Gas) by the government of Ghana has been fully paid.
In a tweet on Thursday April 13, 2017, the President Akufo-Addo revealed that, his government has paid in full the US$60 million debt Ghana owed Nigeria Gas (N-Gas), Ghanaweb said in a report.
N-Gas, the main supplier of lean gas to Ghana’s Volta River Authority (VRA) through the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), last year was forced to cut gas to Ghana after giving the country a two-week ultimatum to clear its outstanding debt of over US$100 million.
General Manager at WAPCo, Mike Enendu, who is also in charge of Finance and Administration said Ghana was yet to settle fully all debt owed N-Gas.
“Between WAPCo and the government we are aware of what the debt situation is and I think for us that is what it should be. There are still some monies to be paid. I don’t know where that information is coming from but I believe WAPCo and the government knows the true situation of the debt. I don’t know who put out that information to the public. But I am not sure that is from the government and is obviously not from WAPCo.”
On local content, the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) has stated that its initiative has engaged more than 300 active vendors in Ghana.
It has so far issued more than 2,000 service/purchase orders to local suppliers since it began commercial operations.
“We place priority on providing opportunities to local businesses,” a General Manager at WAPCo, Mr. Enendu, said while opening a forum for more than 120 vendors of WAPCo.
The forum, the second of its kind, was aimed at providing an opportunity for WAPCo and its vendors to interact, review performances, achievements and challenges in the supply chain.
It also served as an avenue for the exchange of feedback to ensure greater collaboration between WAPCo and the vendors for their mutual benefit.
According to Mr. Enendu, “the forum shall provide the needed opportunity to develop competencies, capabilities and competitiveness of suppliers and contractors so that you are able to compete for businesses both in WAPCo and the larger oil and gas sector.’’