Volta River Authority | Knowledge Management Portal



SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE HON. MINISTER OF ENERGY, DR. JOE OTENG-ADJEI,ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE VOLTA RIVER AUTHORITYYour Excellency the Vice President, Mr. John Dramani MahamaMr ChairmanMembers of the Council of StateHonourable Ministers of State presentHonourable Members of ParliamentChairman and Members of the Board of VRANananomMembers of the Diplomatic CorpsManagement and Staff of VRADistinguished Invited GuestsThe PressLadies and GentlemenGood afternoon to all. It is an extraordinary pleasure to join you to mark the 50th anniversary of Volta River Authority.It is an honor and privilege to be part of this gathering as the sector Minister for the government clearly understands that the rate of economic growth and job creation is directly linked to the success of VRA and the other agencies involved in the provision of electricity in the country. In this regard, we are here to celebrate this historic moment, acknowledging that your history in the electricity industry is very interesting and motivating. Now, let me be honest. Birthdays or anniversaries are not unusual. Everybody has them and at the same rate as everybody else - once a year. They happen whether you want them to or not. Believe me, I know. I've had quite a few and looking around this gathering I can see it's the same for others as well. So why are we here?It's not to celebrate the inevitable passage of time but something more. Everyone has birthdays but not everyone is my friend, Volta River Authority. VRA, you are unique. And today I'm gladly putting aside my grumbles about birthday speeches, balloons, presents and hats, to honor you. VRA, you've reached the 50 milestone. 50 anniversaries, that's a whole lot of living; enough to establish the character of a corporate man, and to know who the entity is. And I've known VRA through about 30 of them and oh boy, you have an enviable character. First of all let me join the teeming Ghanaians and other well wishers worldwide to wish you happy 50th Anniversary. I also wish to express, on behalf of the current generation, our profound gratitude to the founding architects whose vision established the VRA as the most critical platform for our industrialization and economic development. Mr Chairman, permit me to express my heartfelt admiration for the wisdom and untiring effort of our Founder, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for his singular vision in creating an energy sufficient economy in Ghana. I am also delighted to note that subsequent generations have been able to build on this vision. I therefore recognize and applaud the many pre-eminent achievements that the Authority and its dedicated workforce have chucked in the past fifty years. These bright achievements provide assurances that the future holds more promise for Ghana. With each passing day we are drifting closely to our founding fathers dream of industrialized Ghana anchored on an assured, dependable and reliable power supplier. For half a century now, VRA has been on the vanguard in power generation with enviable safety records. It has been successful beyond the wildest imagination of its remarkably foresighted founders. Without exaggeration, over the past 50 years, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created because VRA has supplied electricity to industries where these people work. Take a trip to the generation sites of VRA and you will immediately observe that there are no expatriates – only Ghanaians! This is remarkable!Ladies and Gentlemen, permit me to acknowledge the yeoman’s role of the following former CEOs:Casely HayfordKobina KalitsiAto AhwoiNow, we mark this anniversary with a measure of sadness, as we remember the extraordinary life of Mr Gilbert Dokyi and all others who have passed away.Ladies and Gentlemen, so what about the next 50 years! Fifty years ago the Authority was relatively small with staff strength far less than it is today. Back then, the biggest challenge was to supply power to a population less than ten million. If you could supply power to areas around Accra and Tema in particular, you were ready to pat yourself on the back for a mandate well executed. Mr. Chairman, in this era of increasingly globalized competition and proliferation of new technologies, VRA would have to compete for space, and justify their existence through the quality of services delivered. It is only through guaranteed quality and reliable power supply to the citizens and businesses that will induce them to graciously accommodate demands for higher tariffs. Definitely the population also needs to understand that quality services come with a price. Today, even a constant supply of sufficient power doesn't guarantee a pat on the back. Power generation companies are being quizzed on daily bases on how environmentally friendly their activities are and at what price is the power produced. Thus, it has become very imperative to identify ways in which we can generate power in an environmentally sustainable and affordable manner.Colleague Engineers, now, on this historic occasion of the 50th anniversary of the VRA, we should bear in mind that we must look into the past to learn from the lessons of history, and ensure that we do not stray from the path to progress in the future. VRA, as a key player in the energy, must eliminate complacency and promote hard work. Mr Chairman, the next 50 years will bring its share of challenges when it comes to electricity generation, transmission and distribution. The truth is that our growing economy and complex society will defy simple solutions. But amid such uncertainty we can be certain of one thing! That VRA will be there, playing a leadership role in devising solutions that benefit our customers, our economy and population as a whole.We can and should be proud of VRA, a crown jewel of the energy industry. So on this 50th anniversary of the VRA, let's use the momentum, the memories and the lessons of the past half century to guide us through the next.Mr Chairman, We believe there is no power greater than the power of the dreams and ideas within VRA today. Fifty years from now, when VRA is celebrating its 100th anniversary, maybe the current CEO of VRA will be standing here and telling the story of how your multi-billion dollar company started with an idea at the kitchen table in his office. Your dreams are not only the engine behind the Ghanaian economy today, but the essence of the Better Ghana Dream. The God of Heaven will give us success, so let us arise and work together to build a better Ghana for the future generation. This is our calling and can never fail!Thank you.26TH APRIL, 2011 ................
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