For one week, Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited has decided to postpone the shutdown of its plant.
The Ministry of Finance intervened, according to the company, causing this U-turn.
The company claims that this is “given the intervention and assurance of the Minister of State and Finance.”
It further stated in a statement released on Monday night, “Kindly confirm our understanding that we shall be paid an interim sum of $60 million in two tranches. The first tranche is $30 million to be paid this week and the second tranche in the week of 11th December 2023.”
The independent power producer had earlier declared that its 560MW plant would be shut down permanently, which resulted in an immediate suspension of operations.
The government’s tardiness in fulfilling its financial commitments to the power plant management, according to the company, is the reason behind the decision.
The letter reads: “Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited Company announces with regret an indefinite suspension of operations at the Sunon Asogli Power Plant, effective Monday, December 4, 2023, at 6 p.m. This difficult decision became necessary due to avoidable delays in payment from the GoG/Electricity Company of Ghana for power supplied, as well as the unproductive engagements to find an amicable solution” to the indebtedness.
The business also claimed that its operational capacity had been severely impacted by the mounting unpaid bills, and that it was no longer viable to continue without resolving these financial issues.
Meanwhile, if you are a car owner in Ghana, then starting 2024, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), under the President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia government has imposed an Excise Duty (tax).
Ghanaian vehicle owners are expected to pay an amount of GHc100 compulsory tax for owning a car, motor, or any other moving machine that uses petrol or diesel.
However, failure to pay this newly imposed tax by the NPP government will attract a prison sentence for tax evasion.
