The Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, Collins Adomako-Mensah, has raised concerns over President John Dramani Mahama’s announcement regarding a proposed 1,200-megawatt power plant, insisting the project is not new and questioning the absence of parliamentary engagement on its implementation.

President John Dramani Mahama, speaking at the “Resetting Ghana” Citizen Engagement event on Saturday, May 2, announced that government will cut sod this year for the commencement of the 1,200MW electricity generation plant. The project is intended to expand generation capacity and enhance redundancy within the power supply system amid rising national demand.

The President said the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen electricity infrastructure and ensure a stable and reliable power supply for households and businesses.

However, reacting in an interview on the Channel One Newsroom also on Saturday, May 2, Mr Adomako-Mensah argued that the project is not a new policy direction, noting that it had already been captured in the national budget.

“The plan to cut sod this year for the commencement of the construction of a 1,200-megawatt electricity generation plant is nothing new. It was in the budget, which was read last year. We were hoping that by now, they would have gone far with it,” he said.

He expressed surprise that the President was still describing the project as being in the pipeline, despite its inclusion in earlier fiscal plans.

“I am surprised the President is saying it is still in the pipeline,” he added.

Mr Adomako-Mensah further criticised what he described as a lack of consultation with Parliament, stating that neither the Energy Committee nor lawmakers had been formally briefed on the implementation roadmap.

“As we speak, Parliament has not been served, nor has the Energy Committee been briefed on the plan or how they are going to roll out this programme,” he noted.

He questioned the clarity of the project’s status, adding, “So hearing the President saying it is in the pipeline, I am not too sure the kind of pipeline.”