Khan: UNC neglected Ghana

JULIEN NEAVES

ENERGY Minister Franklin Khan said the previous United National Congress (UNC) administration neglected negotiations with Ghana and this resulted in investments going to China.

He was responding to a question for oral answer during the Senate sitting on Tuesday. Opposition Senator Wade Mark asked whether the National Gas Company or any of its subsidiaries has deposits and/or investments in any banks or companies in Ghana.

Khan responded that there were no investments. Mark in a follow-up asked whether there was any intention to make investments with the Prime Minister’s recent visits to Ghana. Khan said during the late Patrick Manning’s administration from 2007 to 2010 and before initiatives were put in place to have major investment and dialogue with the government of Ghana and these discussions were very well advanced and starting to bear significant fruit.

“When the UNC administration took office in 2010 the entire Ghana and East Africa and West Africa initiative was dropped like a hot potato.”

He said the process lay dormant for five years and the current administration was trying to “reignite old firewood.” Khan reported that a lot of Ghana’s investments had gone to China and the Government was trying to rekindle interest from Ghana.