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The Vice-President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has said the country will strengthen its collaboration with China, particularly in the energy and industrial sectors.
She said that Ghana–China relations, established many years ago, had expanded beyond diplomacy into practical collaboration across education, trade, industry, infrastructure development and technical exchanges.
The Vice-President was speaking at the 2026 Sunon Asogli Power Chinese New Year event held at Kpone in the Greater Accra Region, last Monday.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the event, which marked the Spring Festival and the Year of the Horse in China, symbolises renewal, unity, hope and prosperity; values which reflect the enduring Ghana–China partnership.
Present were government officials, business leaders, traditional authorities, and members of the Chinese and Ghanaian communities, who reflected on decades of diplomatic relations and growing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The Vice-President commended Sunon Asogli Power for its nearly two decades of service in supplying a significant share of electricity to the national grid and for helping to stabilise the power sector during critical periods.
She said that sustainable development depended not only on infrastructure, but also on people, culture and mutual respect.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further said that Ghana–China relations, formally established in 1960, had grown to encompass education, trade and industry.
Enduring partnerships, she said, must be anchored in clarity, accountability and alignment with national priorities, including industrial growth, energy security and economic resilience.
The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State and co-founder of Sunon Asogli Power, Togbui Afede XIV, traced the company’s origins to a 2005 visit to China and engagements with the Shenzhen Energy Group.
He said that at a time when Ghana faced severe power shortages, Shenzhen Energy pledged to construct a 200-megawatt power plant within a year, a promise that was fulfilled despite widespread scepticism.
The Agbogbomefia said the power plant was Ghana’s largest and most efficient independent power producer, with its second phase contributing 360 megawatts to the national grid.
He outlined expansion plans to include exporting electricity to Burkina Faso from March 2026 and exploring power projects in Cameroun.
Domestically, the company was also advancing renewable energy initiatives, including a 200-megawatt solar plant in northern Ghana, a 100-megawatt wind farm at Sege, Ada West District and a third-phase thermal project expected to add 850 megawatts at Kpone.
He said the proposed third-phase thermal plant earmarked for Kpone could be completed within 18 months, pending the government’s approval.
He added that the company planned to invest more than US$1 billion in the next phase of development, building on the success of earlier phases that attracted US$600 million in investment.
Togbui Afede XIV commended recent improvements in the Electricity Company of Ghana’s payment stability and said it had enabled confident planning for large-scale expansion.
The Chairman of the Sunon Asogli Power, Wang Jinxiao, announced plans to pilot solar-powered Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations, including the introduction of electric vehicles for operational testing in Ghana.
He said the initiative, which begins next month, formed part of the company’s broader strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and promote cleaner transportation solutions.
Mr Wang expressed appreciation to the Government of Ghana for creating an enabling environment for private sector investment, as well as to all stakeholders.
The Vice-President of the Shenzhen Energy Group, Liu Shilei, praised the two decades of cooperation between the Shenzhen Energy Group and Sunon Asogli Power, and their contributions to socio-economic development, community infrastructure, education and technical training across the country.
The UNESCO Representative in Ghana, Edmond Moukala, also lauded the energy partnership between Ghana and China, saying it had the potential to drive sustainable development, skills training and inclusive growth in line with the government's 24-hour economy vision.
