Court To Hear Atuabo Pott Dispute Sept. 10

The Sekondi High Court yesterday, adjourned to September 10, the case in which some five Members of Parliament (MPs) have sued government over an agreement it entered into with a British firm, Lonrho, for the development of a Freeport at Atuabo in the Western Region. The adjournment was given after a State Attorney, Mrs. Frances Molen Ansah, representing the respondents- government, prayed the court for hearing to be suspended since her outfit was not served with the application. She said although the Attorney-General's outfit in Accra had been served with the application, her outfit in the Western Region was yet to be served. The applicants are seeking a declaration that clause seven of the Lonrho Freeport Agreement is inconsistent with section five of the Ghana Port and Harbour Authority (GPHA) Act, PNDC Law 160. According to the applicants, the agreement imposes restrictions on Takoradi Port as far as the expansion of the port is concerned. The agreement, they claim, bars all persons and companies from further expanding or building any oil and gas port facility in the Western Region until Lonrho recovers its investments and had made profits. Led by Lawyer, Alex Abban, the applicants include Kweku Kwarteng, MP for Obuasi West; Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, MP for Takoradi; and Joseph Cudjoe, MP for Effia. The rest are Mavis Hawa Koomson, MP for Ewutu Senya; and Kofi Brako, MP for Tema Central. It would be recalled that on July 17, 2014, parliament approved an agreement between the Government of Ghana (GoG) and Lonrho for the development of an oil and gas freeport at Atuabo in the Western Region. Prior to this agreement, parliament had approved 197 million Euros loan agreement for the GPHA for the expansion of the Takoradi Port to enable the port take advantage of the emerging oil and gas opportunities in the region. Parliament is also in the process of securing an additional $400 million loan for the Takoradi Port for this same purpose. The expansion works at the Takoradi Port has commenced in earnest and is progressing steadily.