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Sunon Asogli: IPPs yet to reach an agreement with govt – Apetorgbor
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Independent power producer Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited has rejected accusations from the government of acting in bad faith, following remarks by Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam criticizing the company for shutting down its 560-megawatt power plant amid ongoing debt negotiations.
Sunon Asogli, in a statement on October 16, announced the plant’s closure, attributing the decision to the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) significant outstanding debt of $259 million, excluding fuel costs, as of September 2024.
The unpaid amount created severe financial strain for the power producer, hindering its ability to maintain normal operations.
The shutdown led to widespread power outages across various parts of Ghana, with many communities experiencing unreliable electricity supply.
In response, the government moved quickly to renegotiate terms with Sunon Asogli to restore stability to the national power grid.
Sunon Asogli maintains that the plant’s closure was a necessary action due to escalating operational costs and insufficient working capital.
Dr. Elikplim Apetorgbor, CEO of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, defended Sunon Asogli’s decision, contending that the government had not upheld its financial commitments, which left the company with few options.
The company’s leadership reiterated that they remain open to negotiations to find a lasting solution to the debt issue and ensure consistent power supply across the country.
“I am not aware when we have agreed to sign restructuring terms with anyone. We are still negotiating. No one goes into a negotiation to lose. It is always a win-win affair. And he [Amin Adam] has always maintained a position that if you will not accept this, I am not going to pay you. And even if we are signing, what it means is that we have reached a meeting point. But to the best of my knowledge, there is nothing like that. We are not there yet.
“He [the Finance Minister] has promised countless times to make payment to Sunon Asogli but he has not honoured those obligations or those promises. But today he’s saying that somebody is acting in bad faith. What is worse than that? You owe me about $259 million.
“Give me $60 million out of that for us to negotiate about the $2 million. And you are saying this is bad faith. We are faced with a challenge. We lack the working capital to resume operation or to continue operation.”
Source: citinewsroom.com/
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken note of public allegations of extortion and related conduct made against the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The allegations were made by the Chief Executive of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.
In a brief statement, the OSP said it has also received a joint petition submitted by two persons, as well as two separate petitions from other persons, in relation to the same allegations.
“Given the nature of the allegations, the OSP will assess the case and determine whether it falls within its statutory mandate and whether further investigative action is warranted,” the statement said.
The development comes amid a heated public feud between the Minority in Parliament and the leadership of GoldBod over the operations of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The Minority, led by Afenyo-Markin, has accused GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana of causing a loss of over $1.7 billion, citing the International Monetary Fund’s August 2026 report. The Minority has vowed to pursue the matter as Parliament has reconvened for an emergency sitting.
GoldBod, on the other hand, has rejected claims by some NPP MPs, including Tano South MP Dr Gideon Boako, that it owes the Bank of Ghana GH¢1 billion in overdrafts, describing the claim as “false and malicious.”
In the latest twist, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has accused the Minority Leader of extortion and related conduct, an allegation that has triggered petitions to the OSP.
The OSP is mandated under Act 959 to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically exposed persons.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
