The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has called on Ghanaians to support the government’s energy transition plan by practising energy-saving attitudes.
According to the President, the government is relying on the commitment of Ghanaians to saving energy to reinforce the plan to transition the nation to attaining net zero energy-related carbon emissions.
The President was speaking at the 7th edition of the Ghana Energy Awards held last Friday in Accra to celebrate the outstanding performance of the energy stakeholders.
“The cooperation and support of our parties, domestic and foreign, are needed to achieve this goal. But above all, we require the dedication and efforts of every Ghanaian citizen, who is the primary beneficiary and agent of this shift. We need Ghanaians to accept this vision of Ghana’s energy future as low-carbon, resilient, and affluent.
“We rely on Ghanaians to implement energy-saving practices and attitudes in their homes, workplaces, and communities. We need your help to implement the policies and programs that will make this transition easier. And we need you to hold the government accountable,” he asserted.
COMMITMENT
According to the President, the government has committed to lowering its greenhouse gas emissions to deal with climate change.
As such, the Ghana Energy Transition and Investment Plan was unveiled in September this year, a plan that outlines the paths for Ghana to attain zero energy-related carbon emissions by 2060.
The framework, which had the input of all stakeholders, also aligns with national policy and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and can be modified upon experience during implementation.
The ambitious national energy transition framework, which the President said was attainable and requires $550 billion, should be raised over the next 40 years. This is ten percent of the annual GDP of Ghana.
BENEFITS
The President said that the framework will have long-term advantages for the economy, society, and the environment.
He indicated that energy security would improve, diversify the energy mix, create jobs, boost health, help eradicate poverty, and safeguard the nation’s natural resources.
While positioning Ghana as the “world leader” in energy transition, Ghana would be among the first countries to use carbon capture, utilization, and storage technology to decarbonize its energy industry.
AWARDS
Most of the award winners were from the public sector, such as the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST) and Ghana Gas and Energy Commission.
On a very lighter note, President Akufo-Addo opened his address by asking the award organizers to create one for the appointing authority, as he appointed the majority of the winners.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo ended his speech by congratulating all the award winners for the 7th Ghana Energy Awards and wished them well.
President Akufo-Addo presented these awards to CEO of the Year Petroleum, which went to Dr. Ben K. D. Asante, CEO of Ghana Gas.
The others he presented were CEO of the Year Power, Samuel Dubik Mahama, MD, ECG, who won that, and Energy Personality of the Year Female, going to Kadijah Amoah, CEO, Pecan Energies.
The last award President Akufo-Addo presented was the Energy Personality of the Year Male, and Edwin Alfred Provencal, MD BOST, was adjudged the winner.
Other awards were presented at the event, which was on the theme “Ghana’s energy transition framework: sector institutions as building blocks for the 2030–2040 target.”
PANEL
The chairman of the awarding panel, Lawyer Kwame Jauntuah, concluded his address by saying that the award scheme has a five-member panel that scores sector nominees independently after they have presented their category of choice.
It is then sent to a validator, Mazas Ghana, an accounting firm, who presents the final results at the event grounds.
