The Ministries of Transport and Energy in collaboration with major stakeholders have commenced a nationwide consultative forum to solicit views of stakeholders across the country for a draft national electric vehicle policy.
The automobile world is expected to switch from the use of fossil fuel to Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the next ten years to avoid the catastrophe associated with climate change.
Hon. Herbert Krapa, a Deputy Minister of Energy in a speech delivered on his behalf of Hon. Herbert Krapa, a Deputy Minister of Energy by Mrs. Doris Doudu, a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Energy, said a switch to EVs was not a lifestyle choice, but a necessity for survival which would contribute to the reduction of global warming.
He said climate and emission concerns had brought the adoption of EVs to the forefront in recent times as the government of some biggest automotive markets around the world had not only declared intention, but took bold steps to embrace the change.
“France and the United Kingdom (UK) are looking to ban the sale of gas and diesel-powered vehicles beginning 2023 and completely by 2040. China, the largest auto market in the world has publicly started charting a plan for an all- out ban on vehicles powered by internal combustion engine,” he said.
Hon Krapa said Ghana and Africa had to follow suit and make plans towards embracing the transformation in order to harness the enormous solar energy potential productivity to meet the climate emission target while simultaneously providing clean and affordable means of transport.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Hon. Frederick Obeng Adom, said as at 2022, there were about 3.2 million registered vehicles in the country and out of the number, 72 percent were powered by petrol, 27 percent by diesel engines and less than one percent by LPG and other energy sources.
He explained that the high dependency on fossil fuels, combined with other factors such as traffic congestion had resulted in the transport sector becoming a net emitter of Green House Gases.
According to him, experts had clearly and unambiguously stated that emissions from vehicles were not only bad for the planet but also posed health hazard to citizens.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu noted that the Electric Vehicle policy had come at the right time, as the global fuel prices were sky-rocketing and consequently the world over spent scare foreign exchange to import fuel for domestic and vehicle usage.
“It is against this backdrop that l find this consultation session very useful, therefore, the need for us to collectively enrich the draft policy for improved outcome,” he added.
