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Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, has stated that the ministry is working with the Ministry of Finance to suspend several fees that contribute to fuel prices in order to protect consumers from rising prices.
That decision, he added, was required because the ministry’s most important responsibility was to keep the lights on and manage fuel prices.
When a group from the Ghana Energy Awards (GEA) called to update him on the upcoming 5th GEA, which will be held in Accra on November 19, this year, Dr Opoku Prempeh offered the hint.
He emphasized that the ministry was committed to making sure that previous power outages were a thing of the past.
Electricity distribution system
He said that Ghana possessed Africa’s largest spatially distributed power network, with an access rate of roughly 86%, and that such a large transmission network would inevitably result in a slew of issues that the ministry was striving to resolve.
“We also don’t want to see ‘dumsor’ return,” he said, admitting that, despite the challenges, the country could have a very stable electrical supply with the correct investments.
Delegation
Prof. Felix Asante, Pro Vice-Chancellor in Charge of Research, Innovation and Development, University of Ghana; Dr Lawrence Tetteh, economist and renowned evangelist, who are panel members; Mr Henry Teinor, Chief Executive of the Energy Media Group, the event director; Nicholas Frimpong-Manso, MD of GP Business Consulting, co-Organiser of the event; and a GEA delegation led by Mr Kwame Jantuah, an energy consultant and Chairman of the GE
Another goal, according to the minister, is figuring out how to monetise gas in order to help the country prepare for the inevitable energy transformation that will accompany industrialization.
He said that some businesses critical to the industrialisation goal had failed as a result of fuel price increases, naming cement, bauxite, fertiliser, and plastic as examples.
Meters for electricity
Meanwhile, he stated that the ministry was considering outsourcing the provision of power meters to the private sector, claiming that “there is a greater demand for meters than the government can supply.”
The goal of the GEA is to recognize players in the energy sector through awards and to recognize their successes in the public, corporate, and non-governmental sectors.
According to the Awards Secretariat, the GEA had established a name and a brand within the sector since its inception in 2017, ensuring sustained interest from the field.
Energy Personality of the Year, CEO of the Year, Excellence in Digital Service Delivery, Energy Institution of the Year, Digitalisation Project of the Year, Energy Company of the Year, Rising Star, and Energy Reporter of the Year are among the categories for this year’s awards.
The theme of the upcoming awards is “Digitalised Energy Sector: The Key To A Resilient Economic Future.”
The realization of the government’s goal to digitalize a large number of institutions, according to Mr Jantuah, influenced the choice of theme.
“We believe that enterprises and organizations in the energy sector have made significant progress in digitalizing their operations. As a result, we decided it was the ideal time to award those who are taking digitalization seriously while also encouraging others in the industry to do the same,” added Jantuah.
Mr Teinor revealed that the secretariat engaged in a variety of pre-event activities leading up to the main awards ceremony, including a media launch, the Energy Personalities Outreach Program, courtesy calls on industry, site visits to nominees’ project sites, and participation in the Renewable Energy Fair and Exhibition.
He stated that submissions for the 5th GEA were officially open till October 20, 2021, and that candidates could submit nominations at www.ghanaenergyawards.com.
The GEA is organized by the Energy Media Group in collaboration with GP Business Consulting, with the Ministry of Energy and the World Energy Council Ghana endorsing it and Mazars Ghana validating it.
Volta River Authority, Bui Power Authority, Ghana Gas, Energy Commission, Meinergy Technology, Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Sunon Asogli Power, COPEC Ghana, and the Association of Oil Marketing Companies are among the industry partners.
