Ghana’s Second Gas Processing Plant (GPP II) is set to transform the country’s energy landscape, generate jobs, and save the economy hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Speaking at the inauguration of the GPP II Implementation Committee at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition on Monday, Dr. Forson described the project as a game-changing initiative that will tackle the country’s over-reliance on expensive imported liquid fuels, which cost Ghana more than $1 billion annually.
He stated that without the Atuabo Gas Plant, Ghana would have been in deep trouble. He said the country now faces a similar opportunity to secure its future through the development of GPP II.
The new gas processing plant is projected to save the country nearly $500 million every two years, potentially covering its own cost within a short time, while creating over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Dr. Forson, who joined the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor, to inaugurate the committees, directed the Technical Implementation Committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister for Energy, to submit a comprehensive plan within four weeks.
He emphasized that this project is too important for the country’s welfare and economic stability, adding that the time for delays and bureaucracy is over.
Energy Minister Underscores Urgency
Hon. John Jinapor also addressed the ceremony and expressed concern over the lack of progress in gas infrastructure development since the commissioning of the Atuabo Gas Plant.
He noted that the country’s growing gas deficit has led to a heavy dependence on costly imported liquid fuels, putting pressure on public finances and threatening Ghana’s energy security.
The GPP II project is expected to: Enhance domestic gas supply for power generation and industrial use, reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported fuels, ease foreign exchange pressures, and position Ghana as a regional energy hub in the medium to long terms.