Loading
Background:
In 2013, the Government of Ghana partnered with Shenzhen Energy Group, advanced plans to build a 700MW supercritical coal-fired power plant in the country with commencement in 2016. The Volta River Authority (VRA) and other lead institutions for the project released a 120-page Scoping Report of the Environmental & Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).
GYEM together with partners responded by rejecting the plan to invest in coal power. This was followed by series of actions over 3 years, which included a street press conference; mass phone calls to the EPA, VRA and Shenzhen; as well as online and street protests and occupation of government Ministries. On June 6, 2016, the Movement, after a match in Accra submitted 1,000 signatures to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), petitioning them to halt issuing a permit and license for the construction of the coal-fired plant in Ghana. Subsequently, after other actions, the Government invited the Movement and other organisations for dialogue and later halted the proposed coal power project by the end of 2016.