That, the association, said was crucial towards the contribution to the global call for the reduction of carbon emission, which was gradually becoming harmful to the environment.

Instead, the AGI is encouraging its members that are mainly industries to adopt renewables, which are a more efficient and cleaner source of energy in their operations to minimise impacts on the environment.

Clean energy sources such as solar, biomass and wind are fast becoming the centre of attraction across the world in delivering sustainable energy supply as they are more efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective in the long run.

Opening the training programme on green gas reduction for chemical industries in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the AGI, Seth Twum Akwaboah, stated that the association was taking deliberate steps to ensure that industries adopt renewables to reduce the cost of production and protect the environment.

“We think the environment is key to the survival of businesses and human beings and so, over the years, we have been implementing a lot of programmes that support the environment,” he added.

The training

The three-day capacity-building programme meant to equip firms in the country's chemical industries to reduce their carbon emission was opened on August 21, 2023, and is expected to close on August 23, this year.

Participants included 40 individuals from 22 companies, namely FC Cosmetics, Benso Oil Palm Plantation, Polytank Ghana and Tobinco Pharmaceutical Limited (TPL), among others.

It is under the Climate Action Programme for the Chemical Industry (CAPCI), which is being implemented in Ghana by the German Development Agency (GIZ) and Environmental Protect Agency (EPA), in partnership with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).

AGI’s commitment

Mr Akwaboah expressed the commitment of the AGI to build strong partnerships with relevant stakeholders to help firms in the country’s chemical industries to reduce carbon emissions.

He said there was a need for industries to take issues on sustainable development seriously.

“We need to brace ourselves to understand the challenges and the opportunities to be able to take advantage and comply with sustainable development because it may have an effect on our businesses,” he said.

Towards that, he said the association had established an energy centre, dubbed AGI-Energy Service Centre, to educate members of the AGI on energy efficiency and adopt renewables.

He said the adoption of renewable energy in the country was still low and for that reason measures needed to be put in place to increase the usage.

The CEO commended GIZ for its continued support extended to the AGI in the area of sustainable development.

Strengthening capacities

The Technical Advisor in charge of CAPCI at GIZ, George Johnson, stated that CAPCI was aimed to strengthen the capacities of key actors for effective climate protection in the chemical industry, thereby enabling them to tap GHG mitigation potentials in chemical production and use as well as in associated value chains.

“CAPCI is closely linked with the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) and is implemented in cooperation with the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and the capacity-building network of the United Nations Climate Secretariat,” he said.

He said Ghana was one of the three focus countries of the global CAPCI project, together with Argentina and Thailand and the CAPCI in Ghana was being implemented by the GIZ’s Sustainable Energy and Climate Cluster as implementing partner.

“The project was aimed at enabling key actors in selected developing countries and emerging economies to identify and tap mitigation potentials in chemical production, use and associated value chains,” Mr Johnson added.