VOLTA RIVER AUTHORITY
50TH ANNIVERSARY LAUNCH
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S WELCOME ADDRESS
ABOADZE
JANUARY 11,2011
Mr. Chairman, Honourable Ministers, Fellow Staff, Ladies & Gentlemen,
I am honoured to be Chief Executive at this time that the VRA is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It is a privilege to share this moment with my fellow managers and staff, and all VRA’s stakeholders.
There is much to celebrate in this jubilee year of VRA’s existence. All across Africa and in many parts of the world, many people know the Akosombo dam, and the VRA, and what the dam has done for Ghana and the people of Ghana. The mighty Volta Lake, once the world’s largest man-made lake, can even be seen from space. Such is the impact of the Akosombo Dam and the VRA.
We, at the VRA, have planned many activities over the next three months to celebrate our Jubilee year. We want to use this time to celebrate the many impressive achievements of the VRA. We want to use this time to reflect on lessons learned. We want to use this time to educate our people on the issues and the challenges of providing electricity to the country and the West African sub-region.
There are a number of events that will open to the public: symposia and public discussion; exhibitions; essay competitions, quizzes and raffles; that will culminate in an Open Day and Dinner/Dance in April, and a final, Thanksgiving service in May. We hope you will join us to attend, as we reflect, and celebrate on this most special occasion in ours and the country’s history.
Of course, as we celebrate VRA’S last 50 years, it is really the next 50 years that we are now focused on. The deregulation of the Ghana electricity sector; the completion of the West African Gas Pipeline; the discovery of gas offshore Ghana, along with the developing initiatives of the West African Power Pool means that there is enormous potential for growth of the use of electricity in Ghana and West Africa, and great prospects for those utilities that are efficient,competitive, and competent.
Today, VRA is the second largest utility in Sub Sahara Africa, after South Africa’s Eskom, and not including Nigeria’s Power Holding Company of Nigeria, or (“PHCN”), which is a holding company of state-owned companies.
Fifty years ago, the Volta River Authority was given the challenge of being the sole producer of electricity to accelerate the socio-economic development of Ghana. I believe the VRA has discharged this obligation creditably. We believe that those attributes that have stood the VRA in great stead these last 50 years, of vision, competence, and excellence, can do so again for the next 50 years.
I have no doubt in my mind that, for the next fifty years, in the newly emerging competitive environment in Ghana, the VRA will play an equally pivotal role in the socio-economic development of Ghana, and have huge impact on the West African Sub-region.
Today, in this Jubilee year of our institution, there is much that we are thankful for, and a great deal to celebrate. I salute all staff of the Authority, and previous Chief Executives, Executive management, and Board members, for bringing the VRA thus far. I salute all of you in our large VRA family, who have contributed in your diverse ways to VRA’s successes.
And for those of us, for whom the journey still continues, I urge you “Godspeed!”
Thank You.