By Yaw
Ansah/Judith Amoateg, GNA
Accra, Oct. 4, GNA – The Energy Commission on
Thursday announced the successful establishment of a local content unit with
the mandate to ensure local participation in power production.
The setting up of the unit was in conformity
with an additional mandate given to the Commission to promote local content and
participation in the electricity supply industry in accordance with the new
legislative instrument passed by parliament.
Dr Alfred K. Ofosu Ahenkorah, Executive
Secretary of the Energy Commission, who disclosed this at the launch of the 20th
Anniversary of the Commission in Accra.
Dr Ahenkorah said the local participation was
one of the top priorities of the Commission to make sure that locals had a
stake in all these energy value chain projects.
He said the next step after setting up the
section, would be to facilitate the implementation and enforcement of the
regulations to safeguard the participation of Ghanaians in power generation
especially in the area of renewable energy technology operations.
Dr Ahenkorah noted that 85 per cent of the
country’s population had power and that the Commission together with other
stakeholders had commenced the building of mini-grids to supply power to 15 per
cent of communities that were not connected to the national grid.
“Already five per cent have been built by the
Ministry of Energy and this will be extended to other communities with the
participation of the private sector with the Commission ensuring that prices
were regulated,” he said.
He hinted that the Commission in its quest to
diversify the nation’s energy mix had redirected it solar rooftop power
generation from urban to rural areas adding that 200 solar installations had
been done in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
Dr Ahenkorah stated that there would soon be
new regulations on electrical accessories such as plugs, extension cables,
bulbs and lamp holders to check low standard products.
Currently, he said the draft regulation was
ready and would be sent to the Ministry of Energy before the end of the year.
Mr Peter Amewu, Minister of Energy in a
statement delivered on his behalf praised the Commission for its contribution
towards energy sustainability in the country.
Under its mandate over the past 20 years, he
said the commission had been able to institute 15 legislative instruments of
which six were on electricity and local content regulation, four on natural
gas, five on energy efficiency and two Acts of Parliament in various codes of
practice.
He reiterated the need for the Commission to
follow through to its local content participation mandate to help build the
capacity of locals, create jobs and wealth to reduce the youth unemployment.
GNA