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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians to accept the vision for the energy sector of the country.
He described the energy future of the country as low carbon resilient and affluent, and that Ghana would demonstrate to the world that low carbon development could be pursued without sacrificing economic growth or social progress.
President Akufo-Addo, who was addressing this year’s edition of the Ghana Energy Awards last Friday night in Accra, said the dedication and effort of every Ghanaian citizen was required aside from the cooperation and support of domestic and foreign parties, to achieve that goal.
The ceremony was on the theme: “Ghana’s energy transition framework - sector institutions as building blocks for the 2030-2040 targets” and it witnessed the celebration of individuals, institutions and organisations for their extraordinary contributions to the growth of the energy sector.
“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 programmes that will make this transition easier and we need you to hold government accountable,” President Akufo-Addo added.
Ghana is a signatory to the Paris agreement on climate change whose ultimate goal is to keep rising global temperatures at below two degrees Celsius preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels.
This means that Ghana committed itself to lowering its greenhouse gas emissions with respect to the effect of climate change while ensuring that its development and the well-being of the people were not jeopardised.
In fulfillment of this commitment, President Akufo-Addo also unveiled the Ghana Energy Transition and Investment Plan, during the Global Africa Business Initiative event in New York on September 21, 2023 on the sidelines of this year's meeting of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
The plan spelt out a reasonable path for Ghana to attain net zero energy related carbon emissions by 2060.
President Akufo-Addo said the framework was a result of extensive research and engagements with a considerable number of stakeholders including sector institutions, civil society, the corporate sector, international partners and academia.
He said it also aligned with the national development agenda of the country as well as the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The framework outlines how we will implement low carbon solutions in major sectors of our economy such as oil and gas, industry, transportation, cooking, agriculture and power.
While describing the plan as a living document, President Akufo-Addo said it would be reviewed regularly and evaluated to ensure that it remained relevant and responsive to the changing circumstances and goals of the country.
A Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, commended the award recipients for their contribution towards the energy sector.
He said his outfit would continue to provide the needed leadership and direction towards a vibrant energy sector that responded to the 21st Century opportunities and realities.
Mr Mercer further gave an assurance that the ministry would continue to work with stakeholders and the relevant public and private sector institutions in its quest to give energy transition a true meaning that reflected the aspirations and needs of Ghanaians.
For his part, the Events Director of the Ghana Energy Awards, Henry Teinor, announced the maiden ECOWAS-centered awards scheme, titled: “the West Africa Power and Petroleum Awards (WAPPA),” which, he said, would be held next year in Ghana and subsequently across the ECOWAS sub region.
The new awards, Mr Teinor explained, would celebrate the achievements of heads of state and sector ministers in energy development, particularly efforts against climate change and towards the energy transition.
He said the major focus of the event would be on the SDGs, specifically recognising increased energy access and affordability, social intervention as well as resource governance.
The Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST), Edwin Provencal, won the energy personality of the year award for the male category while the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pecan Energies Ghana Limited, Kadijah Amoah, won the energy personality of the year for the female category.
The energy institution of the year award went to the Energy Commission, with the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO) picking the energy company of the year award.
