THE 10-YEAR OLD HAPPY GAS MOLECULE

In July 2021 (on the 10th Anniversary of Ghana National Gas Company), I was given the opportunity to narrate the history of Ghana Gas and this was how I chose to do it...........................................

Ten years of accelerating Ghana’s effort to rapid industrialisation through the commercialization of natural gas resources did not come without its own story; let’s call it, “Our Gastory”.

Once upon a gas, there lived a good and peaceful old man who had a dream. The dream begat the Gas Task Force, who begat a 9-member Project Implementation Unit, who then begat Ghana Gas. When Ghana Gas had come of age, he got married to a young virgin from the far East called Sinopec in a very colourful EPCC wedding ceremony that was officiated by Chief Yankey and his elders (Asante, Sunu-Attah, Lartey, F. Boateng, K. Boateng, Agboada, Ackonor, Dadzie, Anafi, Bukari, Amegah, McWood and Amoako-Adjei). The wise counsel and endorsement received from the principal elders (Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, Dr. Valerie Sawyerr, Mr. Eric Yankah, Mr. Thomas Manu, Mr. William Tewiah and Mr. Agbesi Dzakpasu) added so much glitter to the ceremony. The couple lived together with great optimism of, one day, producing illustrious sons and daughters who would be christened, Lean Gas, LPG, Condensate, Iso-Pentane and NGLs.

In order to create a happy home for their unborn children, they journeyed to the South-Western corner of the country to consult and ask the good people of Nzema for a piece of ‘earth and water’. They built a home (Gas Processing Plant) with an unrivalled architecture across the nation; it was the first of its kind.  They also equipped their home with beautiful underwater and underground tunnels (Offshore and Onshore gas pipelines) connecting a number of playgrounds (Distribution and Valve Stations) positioned within forested and savanna lands across rugged mountains and fast-flowing rivers all the way to Takoradi. Some family members (young and brilliant Ghanaian professionals), resident both home and abroad, were called upon to lend helping hands to the all-important home-building project. Consequently, Moses, Addo-Yobo, Walden, Djeni, Doh, Kally, Agyena, Nelson, Aboagye, Mangortey, F. Mensah, Okine, Ogbamey, Sosa, Mantey, Duncan, Carson, Acquah-Hagan, Adu, Fiadjoe, Dampson and Biney became household names. The marvelous contributions from these professionals were not without the support of the chief, elders and people (board, management and the entire workforce).

The couple, have since the early days of their marriage, enjoyed support in many forms from their in-laws; Energy Commission, Petroleum Commission, GNPC, Tullow, National Petroleum Authority, District Assemblies, Traditional Authorities, EPA, Water Resource Commission, Ghana Meteorological Agency, Forestry Commission, Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours, Lands Commission, Security Agencies, Utility Agencies and many others. To make the union more enjoyable, Ghana Gas engaged AECOM, a marriage counsellor (PMC), to constantly keep them refreshed with expert knowledge on their love journey.

The many days of demonstrated Teamwork, Professionalism, Excellence, Accountability, Integrity, care for the Environment, Respect for one another and Loyalty to a noble course did not go in vain; Ghana Gas eventually announced the completion of a beautiful home and the birth of sweet hydrocarbon babies to the admiration of all and sundry. The community gathered and there was much feasting. Ghana Gas, together with Sinopec, nurtured the young gases and sent them to places such as VRA, Quantum Terminal, Twyford, Wankang, WAPCo and Prestea Regulating & Metering Station. Many thanks to the strategic support from principal elders, Mr. John Armstrong Yao Klinogo, Mr. Alexander Kofi-Mensah Mould, Ms. Vivienne Gadzekpo and Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III.

As time went by, Chief Asante took over the baton from Chief Yankey. The new chief’s decree to the household was loud and clear, “Only local hands shall be employed in the kitchen of Ghana Gas as exotic hands were becoming too dear and unsustainable!” (There was total indigenization of Ghana Gas and it brought about benefits untold). As part of the implementation strategy, ‘cookhouse chefs’, ‘kitchen utensil repairers’, ‘sanitary inspectors’, and ‘household decorators’ (Amponsah, Wunakie, Ackon, Donyina-Ameyaw, Yahaya, A. Mensah, Agboada, Mireku, Mensah-Tandoh, Senayah, Saeed, Umar, Awuni, Ewoniah, Ohene-Gyan, Ofori-Atta, Essuah-Mensah, Acquaye, Yeboah, Sagoe, Armah, Gbemu, Alamu, Rockson, Mensah-Edmund, Hayford, Badu, Anani, Ashie, Oppong, Quaicoe, Wudome, Adjei-Fordjour, Anang, Asimenu, Adjei and Agbeblewu) were mandated to ensure that the needful was done by the wonderful team of Ghanaian professionals they were placed in charge of.

Gas continued to voyage far and wide; Karpowership, Tarkwa, Damang, Dawusaso were some of the strategic destinations. In all these, both the old and new sub-chiefs, Lartey, Asmah, Essel, A-L. Mensah, Baidoo, Jomo, Nylander, Archer, Bonsu, Nanevie, Osei, Donkor, Appawu and A. Mensah did not relent on their continuous support for the great vision. As a result, essential executive management decisions leading to the expansion of gas infrastructure towards Kumasi, Tema (Onshore), Ivory Coast, Jintao and Marcopolo received approval from Chief Asante and his principal elders (Mad. Christine Churcher, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, Mr. Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer, Mr. Stephen Sumani Nayina, Mr. Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, Togbi Joachim Acolatse V, Nana Owusu Ansah Ababio and Mad. Delphine Dogbegah) and are feverishly ongoing, under the management and supervision of the ever-committed Ghana Gas Team. Other relevant projects such as the Gas Complex, Trauma Center, Anokyi Mainline Compressor Station, Axim LPG Bottling Plant, GPP Train 2, Ghana Gas Beach Resort and Ghana Gas Village cannot be left unmentioned. It is also worth noting that, knowledge about Gas and its importance to the Ghanaian economy has increased over the years; many thanks to the myriad forms of continuous stakeholder sensitization programmes and the introduction of the Gas Challenge quiz competition among tertiary Institutions in Ghana.

The numerous benefits that came with the 10-year existence of Ghana Gas, in terms of Corporate Social Responsibilities, are praiseworthy; Road Projects within the Jomoro, Ellembelle and Nzema East municipalities, 1R1M projects which has covered all 16 regions of the country, building of schools and teachers quarters, Renovation of Marine Police residential quarters and School dormitories, Scholarship Schemes, Capacity-building programmes and Financial donations at various levels of society.

The journey has not been an easy one but, with all hands on deck and staying true to our Shared Values, it can only get better. Happy 10-year anniversary to all the gallant men and women who have nurtured a good dream and have kept the fire burning all these years! Ayekoo!!!

 

Narrated by:

Gameli Kormla Agboada

(A Pioneer)