An expert in the energy sector has called on stakeholders in Ghana’s energy sector to look beyond fulfilling the pledge to implement measures that will address climate change and its negative impacts on socio-economic gains.
Robert Sogbadji who is the Deputy Director, Nuclear and Alternate Energy at the Ministry of Energy said in as much as the framework is aimed at decarbonizing the energy sector, addressing “energy poverty” should be prioritised by the country.
“The plan on the energy transition by 2070 seeks to protect the economy of our country and also make sure that we transition. We are transitioning, but then, we have to also make sure that we addressed energy poverty,” Mr. Sogbadji stressed.
Mr. Sogbadji made the call at an Energy Transition forum organised by Citi FM/TV in collaboration with the Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI) under the theme “Ghana’s journey towards net zero emissions”.
He added that Ghana’s Oil and Gas sector will play a key role in the transition process to ensure a diversified energy mix.
“…And we relatively really have a young Oil and Gas sector owing to the Carbon Capture Technology which we can also introduce and use it in the transitioning process.
“So, Ghana’s plan is kind of compacting to make sure that we diversify our energy mix, we put in the renewables, we put in the clean nuclear and we make Oil and Gas clean,” the Coordinator for Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organisation stressed.
According to him, the “energy mix would be resilient as energy poverty means there would be no industrialization”.
He warned against decisions that tend to sink the nation’s economy in the near future which should not come into the picture.
The member of Ghana’s contingent at the recently held COP 28 admonished stakeholders on being circumspect on the transition period and also be security conscious as “energy security is paramount” to every country.
