The Deputy Minister for Energy, Hon. Mohammed Amin Adam has stressed the need to create nationwide awareness on the National Energy Transition Plan to achieve it desired benefits.
“We need more sensitization and education for our people to know about the Transition Plan, and not that someone is imposing something on us,” he said.
The Deputy Minister said the National Energy Transition Plan sought to migrate Ghana from fossil fuels which he described as dirty source of energy as a result of excessive emissions into the environment to Clean Renewable Energy and the introduction of electronic vehicles to reduce carbon emissions in the air.
He said other countries in the world had transitioned, and Ghana could not afford to be left out.
Hon Adam was speaking at a stakeholder forum in Bolgatanga to solicit views and opinions from stakeholders in academia, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), research institutions, traditional rulers, among others.
Hon. Adam said the cost associated with the use of fossil fuels as a driver of the economy was high, and may go even higher, and further emphasized the need for Ghana and other developing countries to embrace the transition plan.
He noted that there was no time lines for the transition, but said in the next 30 to 35 years, the transition would happen just as Ghanaians migrated from wood fuel or charcoal to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The Deputy Minister urged Ghanaians not to be apprehensive about the accompanying challenges the transition may come with, including the loss of jobs, but concentrate and take advantage of the opportunities it would provide.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu said the forum was timely as the region was at the receiving end of all shocks associated with climate change, including excessive heat, unpredictable weather as a result of desertification and draught.
He said there was the need for a shift from carbon- based system of energy production and consumption such as oil, coal and wood fuel to clean energy including wind, solar and nuclear to reduce emissions.
Hon. Yakubu reminded the stakeholders of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially goal seven – “Affordable and Clean Energy,” and called for access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.