Ghana's energy future will be anchored on pathway towards carbon-neutrality - Dr. Opoku Prempeh

Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has emphasized that Ghana remains committed to a clean energy sector within the context of its energy transition framework.

Contributing to a panel discussion on the energy sector at the opening session of UK-Africa Industrial Decarbonisation Ministerial Tour on Monday, 17th July, 2023, Dr. Prempeh said Ghana has made great strides in developing a transition framework that will ensure a just and an equitable transition towards achieving net zero.

According to him, the country has also made significant progress in advancing its national energy policy.

This, he explained is supported by the Ministry of Energy’s vision for a clean power sector and also underpinned by efforts to provide universal access to electricity by 2024 which currently stands at 88.85%, as well as increasing the installed capacity of modern renewable energy in the energy mix to 10% by 2030.

The Minister who is also Member of Parliament for Manhyia South indicated that, the country’s energy transition framework is being implemented to the latter.

“Our energy transition framework around which some of these bold decisions revolve has been developed to provide a clear-blue print towards achieving net zero in a just and an equitable manner, which provides a firm basis for the judicious exploitation of our other God-given energy resources” he noted.

The framework, the Minister emphasized is being developed into an investor-friendly one, as it provides key opportunities for strategic investment.

According to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Ghana’s economy will be fueled largely by electricity with a future electricity demand modeled at 380,000 GWh with a corresponding installed generation capacity of 83GW by 2070.

“An estimated 200 million tons of CO2 equivalent emission will be saved” he added.

He further said that the country's Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement has been revised and presented at COP26 with new targets in key sectors of the economy.

"Emission reduction target stands at 68 million tons of CO2," Dr Opoku Prempeh outlined.

He however called for massive investment in Ghana’s energy sector as he reiterated efforts at converting the energy transition framework into an investor-friendly one.

The UK-Africa Industrial Decarbonization road show will continue in Edinburgh, Leeds and New castle in the coming days in July with the aim of bringing issues on the subject to the front burner for discussion.

MA/FNOQ

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