News
Sunon Asogli: IPPs yet to reach an agreement with govt – Apetorgbor
Independent power producer Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited has rejected accusations from the government of acting in bad faith, following remarks by Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam criticizing the company for shutting down its 560-megawatt power plant amid ongoing debt negotiations.
Sunon Asogli, in a statement on October 16, announced the plant’s closure, attributing the decision to the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) significant outstanding debt of $259 million, excluding fuel costs, as of September 2024.
The unpaid amount created severe financial strain for the power producer, hindering its ability to maintain normal operations.
The shutdown led to widespread power outages across various parts of Ghana, with many communities experiencing unreliable electricity supply.
In response, the government moved quickly to renegotiate terms with Sunon Asogli to restore stability to the national power grid.
Sunon Asogli maintains that the plant’s closure was a necessary action due to escalating operational costs and insufficient working capital.
Dr. Elikplim Apetorgbor, CEO of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, defended Sunon Asogli’s decision, contending that the government had not upheld its financial commitments, which left the company with few options.
The company’s leadership reiterated that they remain open to negotiations to find a lasting solution to the debt issue and ensure consistent power supply across the country.
“I am not aware when we have agreed to sign restructuring terms with anyone. We are still negotiating. No one goes into a negotiation to lose. It is always a win-win affair. And he [Amin Adam] has always maintained a position that if you will not accept this, I am not going to pay you. And even if we are signing, what it means is that we have reached a meeting point. But to the best of my knowledge, there is nothing like that. We are not there yet.
“He [the Finance Minister] has promised countless times to make payment to Sunon Asogli but he has not honoured those obligations or those promises. But today he’s saying that somebody is acting in bad faith. What is worse than that? You owe me about $259 million.
“Give me $60 million out of that for us to negotiate about the $2 million. And you are saying this is bad faith. We are faced with a challenge. We lack the working capital to resume operation or to continue operation.”
Source: citinewsroom.com/
News
Cake Tekniks holds 59th graduation ceremony
About 30 students on Sunday graduated from the 59th graduation ceremony of Cake Tekniks International, a privately-owned modern cake designing and sugar craft school in Accra.
During the ceremony, all graduates were presented with certificates while 13 of them also received professional diploma.
The founder of Cake Tekniks International, Mrs Jane Addo, said her outfit was dedicated to providing world standard skills, knowledge and hands-on training necessary for one to succeed worldwide in the culinary industry.
She encouraged the students to embrace the opportunities, challenges and experiences, mindful of the fact that they are well-equipped.
“Hold your heads up while you build a goodwill between your clients and yourselves,” she added.
Mrs Addo said the school was passionate about fostering the culture of creativity, motivation and excellence with the belief that every student had the potential to make a lasting impact in the culinary world.
The founder and leader of QA Consult, Mr Johnson Opoku-Boateng, said graduation was a witness to the unveiling of talents, passion and hard work and testament to months of dedication and hands-on-learning.
He urged the graduands to ensure that their cakes were safe and good for human health and that their success would be dependent on how well they serve, create and grow.
The event also saw the exhibition of cakes and pastries by the students.
receiving her certificate
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
News
Debutant Bella Agyemang lauded for Box Office ‘Magic’
New producer, Bella Agyemang, has been hailed by Silverbird Cinemas and other industry players for her Box Office ‘Magic’ over the weekend.
Bella’s ‘Check In’ movie has received praise for being the first to sell at the cinemas this year.
Speaking to The Spectator, Sales and Marketing Lead at Silverbird Cinemas Ghana, Nana Kwame Obiri-Tete said, for a debutant, Bella Agyemang did fantastically well in her maiden premiere.
He said he was proud of Bella Agyemang’s effort in getting people to show up, adding that she engaged in a lot of marketing activities.
He said her marketing activations on the streets, coupled with other Public Relations endeavours, pointed in the right direction.
“With what she has done, it shows that Bella has a big future. You might have a good product, but if you fail to market it, you cannot get people to patronize. Bella put in a lot of work, which is why she was able to draw a lot of people to the premiere,” Obiri-Tetteh said.
Bella Agyemang, on her part, expressed appreciation to fellow actors, her team, media personalities and all stakeholders who supported her effort ahead of the premiere.
The much-awaited star-studded Ghanaian comedy movie ‘Check-In’ premiered at Silverbird Cinemas on April 12, 2025.
The movie tells a story of chaos and a blackout at a secluded hotel, and amidst these, a resourceful attendant must unravel hidden connections between guests and restore peace before secrets tear them apart.
The movie, produced by Bella Agyemang, featured Kofi Okyere-Darko (KOD), Clemento Suarez, Jeneral Ntatia, Priscilla Opoku-Agyeman, Felicia Osei, Gideon Kojo Boakye, Clinton Odoi, Fiifi Jefferson Pratt, and Gabriel Hogan among others.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
