INDIA TO SET UP FERTILISER PLANT IN WESTERN REGION (SPREAD, JULY 6, 2010)

GHANA and India have concluded arrangements for the establishment of a $1.2 billion plant to process natural gas from the Jubilee Fields in the Western Region into fertiliser.
The project, which is expected to be completed in 39 months, will boost local food production and reduce the importation of fertiliser.
A memorandum of understanding between India and Ghana on the project was scheduled to be signed in Accra yesterday for the commencement of the project.
Under the agreement, fertiliser from the project will also be exported to countries within the West African sub-region and other parts of Africa.
Towards that goal, a delegation from India is in the Western Region and currently touring the Shama and the Jomoro districts to identify possible locations.
The proposed project is the result of deliberations between the two countries to forge closer co-operation in the area of agriculture.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Secretary to the Government of India at the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Mr S. Krishnan, said the project would have a positive ripple effect on the country’s agricultural sector.
He said there were many benefits the country could derive from the huge deposits of natural gas and oil and commended the government for taking the decision not to flare the gas.
He was happy that there was a huge market for fertiliser locally, as well as in other countries in Africa, to make the project viable.
Mr Krishnan, who is also a member of the Indian delegation, said his outfit would be working with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to ensure that the project was delivered to the benefit of the two countries.
He said India would engage local expertise right from the construction of the facility to the production stage to ensure the involvement of local capacity as much as possible.
Mr Krishnan expressed the hope that the socio-economic relationship between the two countries would be enhanced for the mutual benefit of all.
The Head of Engineering at the GNPC, Mr Francis B. Ackah, said the country’s gas deposits were enough to support the smooth operation of the proposed plant.