Citing safety concerns, the Energy Commission has warned the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) not to proceed with plans to flow gas, gutting the company’s public announcement that gas would flow soon.

In a letter to the GNGC, the Commission pointed out three safety concerns it has received from its Independent Technical Auditor.

It notes the gas company was still doing wielding works and has offloaded several pieces of pipeworks and other metals that suggest that construction works is not complete.

It has also noted that a work permit and a safety system have not been secured.

The Ghana National Gas Company announced that the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant will receive its first natural gas by the end of October for final testing which if successful will pave way for commercial production.

Director of projects at the GNGC Ben Asante, had told Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur that gas project was 99.78% complete will be ready for commissioning last August.

Two months after this announcement gas is yet to flow since Ghana first discovered the commodity seven years ago.

Countless announcements of new dates have followed countless postponements and in the latest directive from the Energy Commission, it has stated that “in accordance with Section 6.4 of Schedules to the Commissioning Permit issued to GNGC, GNGC does not have permission to introduce hydrocarbons into ANY section of the Gas Processing Plant”.

Read full letter here