Good intentions28 Apr 2019 10:00
I’m a shareholder and ashamedly sitting on a 70% loss. I bought at around 50p and hoping with an increase in the customer base that it would give me a 30% gain in around 2 years. Then ENEO pulled the plug. Well I should say the Cameroonian government pulled the plug. I feel like a Dik, excuse the pun. On paper VOG looks attractive. But the reality is different and it’s starting to look really stark to me now.
I am pretty certain that the company has our best interests in mind. I really do. They really did believe they could succeed here. But the customers are simply not there. And the main customer, ultimately the Cameroonian government, being too volatile, and let’s be honest corrupt.
The Cameroonian government, if it really did want to strive to make the country develop significantly would simply not allow these power shortages. Development needs energy and certainty in supply. If there are to get inward investment then they must guarantee that. They can’t. The proof is in the pudding. They simply tolerate these power shortages and they stem from internal politics (elections) what have you. It shouldn’t matter who’s in office of course, the lights should always go on but that’s in the UK, a developed country with first world attitudes.
The only way VOG will prosper is if they can export the gas to other countries in the region or to China. For VOG that’s impossible. That’s why it’s my opinion that after everything has settled they will sell the company. When I say everything has settled I mean the insurance claim, ENEO are paying their bills to VOG and there’s clearly cash in the bank and Matanda is on stream. This will take a few years. Everything else like more customers and the tie up with Naturelgaz is just tinkering around the edges. VOG need mass consumption and that can only be from millions of people to use the gas. They’ll never get that consistently. Not by themselves anyway. That’s why they know that and once settled they will sell to bigger player who can.
As soon as I’ve made up my losses I’m out of there. This is my opinion for what it’s worth.