Stop The Coal Dream

Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the Press, Government of Ghana has expressed intentions to collaborate with the Shenzhen Energy Group Co., Ltd. of China (SEC) to develop a 2×350MW supercritical coal-fired generating units, at Ekumfi in the Central Region of Ghana.

While 350 Ghana Reducing our Carbon (G-ROC) and members of the CSOs Anti-Coal Campaigners in Ghana jointly agree there’s an urgency to provide sufficient energy to meet increasing demand, we believe power generation through coal is strongly contested. Implementing this would be suicidal to the future of Ghana.

If Ghana takes this route, it will violate the country’s obligation under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which enforces countries to take step that ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. The recent Paris climate change agreement states that ‘all Parties should strive to formulate and communicate long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies’.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, we wish to state that Volta River Authority (VRA) has not responded to key issues raised in their Scoping report. For example, we have requested for:

1. Detailed information of names and contacts of fishermen group, women and youth groups as well as the NGOs engaged as claimed by VRA.
2. Information on accurate and up-to-date biodiversity data on the animals and species at the project site to be affected.
3. Records of consultations with other stakeholders as communicated in the scoping report aside government agencies and Shenzhen Energy based on the principle of transparency and accountability.
4. VRA’s response to EPA regarding the need to consider other types of coal-fired plants such as the Subcritical, Supercritical, Ultra-Supercritical, Advanced Ultra-Supercritical and Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC). Similarly, there are four types of coal namely Peat, Lignite, Black coal and Anthracite. We are not told which of these coal types is to be imported.
5. The specific kind of job opportunities to be created as claimed by VRA. What kinds of skills are required; how many people are to be employed temporarily and permanently.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, we embarked on a community visit in Ekumfi to engage with the community members and we hereby present a summary of our findings:

1. Community members are curious about the project as they had some reservations about the project. A queenmother at Etubedu mentioned a case of the negative impact of Takoradi stonemills on the life of the people so they are not fully sure what this coal plant has in store for them.
2. The queen mother at Kokodo community, Oheemah Nana Fosuaa shared her experience on how rainwater which people of Obuasi formerly harvested for drinking and bathing are no longer safe. People have been affected with strange skin diseases believed to be as a result of dangerous emissions affecting rainwater. Such rainwater is only best for scrubbing the floor.
3. The community leaders generally acknowledged that the welfare of the youth and unborn generations must be taken into consideration when making decisions, in this case something that bothers on the environment.
4. The elders in Aboano in particular raised deep concerns about the possible effect on rainwater which they depend on for drinking, bathing, washing etc. For them such concerns have not been adequately addressed for their understanding. Dennis Aidoo – Spiritual leader of Aboano Community refuted the claim that VRA discussed compensation with them.
5. The youth are in high anticipation of the jobs promised but have no idea of the kinds or types of jobs to be offered them and even whether those jobs will be temporary or permanent.
6. Shenzhen Energy Group is enjoined by Article 20 of China’s Guidelines for Environmental Protection in Foreign Investment and Cooperation which states that Chinese enterprises “take the initiative to strengthen their contacts and communications with their communities and relevant social groups, and take opinions and suggestions with respect to environmental impacts of their construction projects and operation activities through forums and hearings”. Our findings show that such due diligence was not adhered to by the Chinese firm.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, we wish to state categorically that:

1. Clean coal is a myth. There is no technology like that and we challenge VRA to show us examples of such technology.

1. Coal has severe negative environmental, health, and social impacts which are well documented. For example, as many as 115,000 people die in India each year from coal-fired power plant pollution, costing the country about $4.6 billion, according to a groundbreaking new study. The findings are stunning. In addition to more than 100,000 premature deaths, it links millions of cases of asthma and respiratory ailments to coal exposure. It counts 10,000 children under the age of 5 as fatal victims in a particular year.
2. Opting for coal will lead to Ghana deviating from the Paris Climate Agreement.
3. Nana Amuah Afenyi VI, Chief of Ekumfi Otuam and Mankrado of Ekumfi Traditional Area in the Central Region of Ghana has expressed her disappointment and shock at plans by the VRA to construct a coal-fired power plant.
4. President Mahama must honour his commitment at COP21 in Paris when said that Ghana is determined to achieve ambitious cuts in greenhouse gases.
5. China’s President Xi promised to “strengthen green and low-carbon policies and regulations with a view to strictly controlling public investment flowing into projects with high pollution and carbon emissions both domestically and internationally.” This project would be a direct violation of the Chinese President’s commitment.

Our demand:
Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, we believe there is a far better alternative to coal which is Renewable energies such as wind, solar and biogas because:

1. Clean energy industries employ far more people than the coal industry. The U.S. solar industry alone is beginning to overtake the coal mining sector with higher employment figures, according to 2014 data released by the Solar Foundation.
2. If Rwanda (a war-torn nation) is excelling in the use of renewable energies to generate electricity, what then is the excuse of Ghana?
3. Ghana must stop the coal dream and aggressively pursue Renewables as seen occurring in countries. How many hours a day does Ghana receive direct sunlight that goes untapped?

Thank you.