The Government of Ghana is set to begin negotiations next week with officials of N-Gas Limited of Nigeria to settle $37.5 million of the outstanding debt owed for gas supply to power plants in the country.
The move aims to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of gas following the ongoing mandatory maintenance work on gas pipelines, scheduled for completion on March 2, 2025.
### **Energy Minister Engages Stakeholders**
The Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr. John Abdulai Jinapor, disclosed this during a tour of the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) regulating and metering station in Tema. He visited the facility on Friday to assess progress on the maintenance work.
WAPCo, which operates the 569-kilometer gas pipeline from Nigeria through Tema to Takoradi, temporarily halted gas transmission on February 5, 2025, to carry out maintenance, including cleaning and inspections.
Mr. Jinapor revealed that N-Gas had issued a letter warning of a potential suspension of gas supply due to an accumulated debt of $75 million.
“The government’s focus is on resolving this issue. We will take all necessary steps to ensure that gas supply resumes after the pipeline cleaning, as stable power supply is crucial for economic growth and national development,” he assured.
He also commended WAPCo and its partners for their efforts in ensuring that the maintenance activities remain on schedule.
### **Progress on Gas Pipeline Maintenance**
Dr. Isaac Adjei Doku, General Manager of Corporate Affairs at WAPCo, provided updates on the ongoing work, confirming that maintenance is expected to be completed by March 2, 2025, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
He explained that the shutdown was necessary to launch the Pipeline Inspection Gauge (PIG) into the pipeline to facilitate cleaning and inspections in compliance with industry regulations.
Dr. Doku further noted that three PIGs had already been successfully launched from Tema to Takoradi, with a fourth expected to arrive early on February 22.
“The final PIG, known as the intelligent PIG, will then be deployed to collect detailed data on the interior of the pipeline,” he added.
### **Additional Maintenance Work Underway**
As part of the exercise, WAPCo is replacing two subsea valves along the pipeline route passing through Tema and Cotonou.
“The replacement vessel reached its designated position on Monday, about 18 kilometers offshore from the Tema Regulating and Metering Station,” Dr. Doku stated.
The government remains optimistic that the successful completion of the maintenance work, along with debt negotiations with N-Gas, will secure a stable and reliable gas supply to support Ghana’s energy sector.