The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has intimated that for the earth to be safe, there has to be an effortless fight to reduce emissions and as such the need for Ghana’s energy transition plan.
Speaking at the energy transition forum in Takoradi, he stated that Ghana’s energy transition plan should be seen to position the oil and gas industry to play a more significant role in the development of the country now, before it sets off in the energy transition period.
“For the earth to be safe, there has to be an effortless fight to reduce emissions.”
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
According to him, the country is “blazing” the path towards carbon neutrality and a sustainable energy future and it is key to advocate a significant role for oil and gas in a net zero emission.
“It brings out some key strategic imperatives like renewables such as solar, which a country has, bio energy due to the strong agricultural base, hydro electricity perhaps more uncertain because of the changing climate patterns.”
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
Mr. Darko-Mensah asserted that the country has stepped up its climate change and adaptation effort. He attributed this to the great impact of climate change at the global and continental levels in key areas and sectors including: agriculture and food security, oil supply, health care, energy, regional security and biodiversity.
Honorable Darko-Mensah was of the view that the Western Region being a major producer and contributor of oil and gas, should be given a larger concentration in the new changes that might come up in the nation’s energy transition.
The Western Regional Minister averred that transforming the country’s energy sector will set it out to deliver the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the Paris agreement on climate change. He noted that at the heart of such energy transitions, it must be about the people.
“This point has been emphasized in the recent conversation on global sustainable development. In this 21st century, we simply cannot leave over 800 billion people in darkness without light and access to electricity. We must do better for the people who trust us.”
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
The Minister however, stated that societies face the challenge on how to make the transition to a low carbon energy future to manage the risk of climate change whiles also extending the benefit of the energy to everyone.
This challenge, he disclosed, requires changes in the way energy is produced, used and made accessible to all people while drastically cutting emissions.
Honorable Darko-Mensah then charged the committee which has been inaugurated to steer the affairs of the project to work and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in delivering the mandate.
“Government continues to provide an enabling business environment and is working hard to remove the blockages that hinder climate change and the growth of the energy sector.”
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
The Minister therefore entreated all stakeholders to take a critical look at the mission of the Ministry of Energy which has a prospect for development and is committed to accessing the current situation in the energy sector and the effectiveness of the system in the energy sector.
Be inventors and re-innovators of technology
Mr. Darko-Mensah urged the Energy Ministry not to just be users and assemblers of technology but inventors and re-innovators of technology. Solar technology, he posited, has matured so much and as such should be considered in the country’s energy policy mix.
“I believe that our current 10 percent is not enough. Maybe we should move it to 30 percent and deregulate so that more people can invest in this sector.”
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
According the the minister, the Western Region, being a region that proposes to be a technology hub of Ghana, is inviting the Energy Ministry to partner with the Takoradi Technical University to set up checks and industrial zones at its new engineering campus to make the region developers of technology and innovation in the area of energy transition products and projects.
“We want to be part of the energy innovations that you want to implement during this transition.”
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
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