President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is set to launch the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Project (K1TPP) on April 18 to improve electricity stability in Kumasi and northern Ghana, according to the Volta River Authority (VRA).

The K1TPP  project fully funded by VRA aims to fix voltage and power quality issues by increasing system stability and reliability. The project highlights local expertise and supports technical education with practical training opportunities which will create  job opportunities in Kumasi.

This initiative follows a GRIDCo study recommending 250MW of additional power in the Ashanti Region to strengthen the national grid. By situating a power plant in Kumasi, the VRA hopes to ensure consistent, high-quality electricity for consumers in the middle and northern regions.

Phase one began in May 2023, relocating six TM2500 units for 150MW, with phase two expanding the plant’s capacity to 250MW by June 2024.

However according to some members of the opposition party , the government, having failed to achieve anything meaningful in the Energy sector, has “done the unthinkable by rebranding the Ameri plant procured under the able leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama under a new name called Kumasi 1 Thermal Plant (K1TPP).”

Godwin Edudzi Tamekloe, Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), blasted the government’s action, accusing it of hypocrisy and deliberate deception. Tamekloe criticized the administration for previously demonizing President Mahama over the AMERI power plants, only to now rename and tout them as their own accomplishment.

“The Akufo-Addo and Bawumia administration decided to relocate six units out of the ten to the Ashanti Region to generate 150 megawatts of electricity for the middle belt of the country. The remaining four deployed to give T3 an additional 100 megawatts,” Tamekloe stated, highlighting what he perceives as a disingenuous portrayal of the project’s origins.

Similarly, John Abdulai Jinapor, Ranking Member of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament echoed Tamekloe’s sentiments, condemning the government’s actions as deceptive and aimed at misleading Ghanaians.

Jinapor emphasized the versatility and significance of the AMERI Power Plants, stressing that the government’s attempt to rebrand and present them as its own achievement will not be tolerated. The opposition figures have vowed to challenge what they perceive as an appropriation of President Mahama’s legacy in the energy sector. They accuse the current administration of failing to deliver substantial progress in the sector and resorting to cosmetic changes to inflate their record.

By Bernice Adjei Kodie