Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has disclosed that Ghana’s power supply system is now stable. According to him, the surplus energy is being exported to other countries.
The Minister indicated that the government has put in place measures to achieve universal electricity access.
Mr. Jinapor disclosed this at a press briefing during the 7th Meeting of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Regional Committee for the Africa Region in Accra, on September 4.
“Our power supply is fairly stable. We have enough, and we are even exporting. Our vision is to have a minimum of 10 per cent of our energy mix emanating from renewables, and that even excludes our high-flow potential. Immediately, what we want to set forth is to work to deploy solar irrigation pumps across the country,” he added.
The summit started on September 2 and ended on September 4, with 19 Energy and Power Ministers from across Africa in attendance. They included those from Malawi, Liberia, Seychelles, Comoros, Nigeria, The Gambia, Somalia, and Sao Tome and Principe, as well as representatives from 39 member countries and 7 signatory nations.
Participants discussed actionable strategies for energy access, solar innovation, and climate-resilient growth.
In his address, the Minister asserted that the government was planning to deploy solar irrigation pumps across the country to support year-round farming, especially during the dry season.
“India has pioneered it, and we want to learn from them. They have agreed that they will collaborate with us. An MoU would be signed to that effect and would include the training of artisans.”
Aside from these issues raised by the Minister, he further posited that over 600 million Africans lacked electricity access, with nearly one billion people lacking clean cooking solutions, especially in rural areas.
According to him, “Africa’s energy inequity extends far beyond infrastructure. It reflects underinvestment, unequal access and structural barriers that hinder our progress.
“Without affordable, clean, and reliable energy, our ambitions, industrialisation, job creation, food security, and climate resilience will remain out of reach.
“Universal access to energy is not merely a development goal, it is a moral imperative and central to realising Sustainable Development Goal Seven by 2030,” the minister added.
In his view, Africa’s energy transition must go beyond megawatts to empower communities and secure resources for sustainable development.
On his part, the Director-General of the ISA, Ashish Khanna, said the organization comprised 124 member countries. He disclosed that the meeting ratified the launch of the Africa Solar Facility, a $200 million catalytic fund—$75 million of which would be operational by the end of 2025—to unlock over $800 million in private-sector investment for decentralized renewable energy, beginning in Nigeria.
He added that the ISA would establish 12 solar technology education resource centers across Africa, including one in Ghana, to provide technical training, testing labs, and youth incubation to foster local expertise and innovation in solar energy.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
