The Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira, Kofi Arko Nokoe, has questioned the Minister for Energy and Green Transition over delays in the completion of a gas re-bottling plant intended to serve his constituency.
The issue was raised in Parliament on Monday, March 16, where the legislator sought clarity on the timeline for completing the project and making it operational.
Mr Nokoe expressed concern about the slow pace of work on the facility, stressing that its completion is crucial for improving access to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and supporting economic activity in the area.
In response, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, explained that the LPG bottling plant, located in Axim in the Western Region, is being implemented as an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) project under the National Cylinder Recirculation Programme on behalf of Ghana Gas.
He disclosed that the project, valued at approximately $24.7 million, was awarded on October 19, 2021, with construction beginning on July 13, 2022, and originally scheduled for completion in July 2024.
However, he noted that the project remains incomplete despite about $8 million having been spent, with overall progress estimated at around 20 per cent.
Dr Jinapor further indicated that he had engaged the project’s board to ascertain the causes of the delay, adding that front-end engineering processes were among the issues cited for the slow progress.
Mr Nokoe, however, maintained that the timely completion of the facility remains critical for residents of Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira and called for urgent measures to ensure the project is delivered without further setbacks.