Ameri Power Plant rename: Renaming of national institutions, projects must be done by consultation, enacted by Parliament — Nana Akomea

Amidst the controversy surrounding the renaming of the Ameri Power Plant, Nana Akomea, the Chief Executive of the State Transport Company (STC), has opined that there should be a consultation and parliamentary enactment in renaming national institutions and projects.

The Ameri Power Plant, located in Kumasi, was commissioned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, with the aim of addressing the energy crisis and improving power supply to Kumasi and its environs.

However, the decision to rename the plant as the "Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant" sparked criticism from the NDC, who perceive it as an attempt to discredit their leader, former President John Dramani Mahama, under whose administration the Ameri deal was finalized.

Reacting to the NDC's objections, Nana Akomea dismissed their arguments as "childish talk," asserting that the renaming was solely for identification purposes and not intended to undermine any individual's legacy.

"Saying if we name it Kumasi, it means we don’t want us (Ghanaians) to know it’s John Mahama’s plant is childish talk. They should stop making these utterances," Nana Akomea remarked.

However, while defending the renaming of the power plant, Nana Akomea also stressed the importance of establishing a consultative process for renaming national institutions to prevent conflicts and promote consensus-building.

"As a general principle, this naming of national institutions as far as possible should be done by consultation for consensus. When it is by consensus, then Parliament can pass an Act to establish the name to avoid any conflicts," he explained during an interview on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.