General News of Monday, 17 December 2018
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2018-12-17
Foreign Minister, Ayorkor Botchway and MP Okudzeto Ablakwa in a brawl
Heated exchanges were recorded in Parliament involving Foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway over malfeasance claims by the Minority.
Livid, the minister who is Anyaa-Sowutuom MP confronted the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP Okudzeto Ablakwa who claimed, government had purchased a building in Norway at $12m for use as an embassy.
The North Tongu MP who is Minority spokesperson on Foreign Affairs said the building was up for sale in $3.5m as at August 2017.
His claim stunned the House as both sides sat silent.
The NDC MP presented documents to the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Proffesor Mike Oquaye backing his claims. The documents included a newspaper article which called the sale unethical, the NDC MP said.
But the papers was rejected as unreliable, Joy News’ Joseph Opoku Gakpo reported. The Speaker called the documents ”internet production” not “validated by a stamp, seal…which will not be accepted in any court”.
But the Foreign minister escalated the controversy outside the chamber of Parliament debunking the claims. Screaming at the NDC MP, the minister said no purchase has been made for the building in Norway.
Only an offer had been made, she said as journalists and parliamentarians surrounded the two MPs to witness the emotionally charged attack.
She expressed disappointment in the MP for failing to check with her ministry before proceeding to the floor of Parliament.
Another NDC MP Sam George incurred the minister’s wrath after she spotted him filming the confrontation. She shoved the phone off in a physical attempt to stop the recording.
The Bui Power seems to be saving the nation’s power situation as there are indications that the energy sector is facing some challenges in recent times.
Since September the peaking plant which mainly comes on stream in the evening is actually supplying at full capacity.
On the 11th of December, all turbines were turned on for example with its fourth plant; which is a turbine to produce power to the tune of 395 megawatts.
The Bui power plant has the capacity of producing 404 megawatts every day.
Since September the plant has been producing power using almost all its four turbines.
The CEO of Bui Power Plant, Alfred Oware says the water storage went as high as 181 meters which required them to generate more power to avoid spillage.
Though they have this capacity, Gridco can decide to hold on to it if all power plants are working since the Bui plant is a peaking plant.
There are indications that some thermal plants are struggling as gas from Nigeria has become a thorny issue.
The Director of Power at BPA, Samuel Kow Ansah adds that the Bui situation has come in time to save current events.
“The Bui Power Plant is expected to be a peaking or strategic plant, this means we are brought onto the national grid if there are challenges or peak times. About a month or two ago I knew we had some issues with Ghana Gas and its compressor so we were called upon to supply power by the system control (Gridco) since”
Its expected the power situation will stabilize by the close of the year.
The Bui Power Plant generate reactive power, which helps to stabilize power or voltage in the three northern regions.