Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Energy, said the desire of countries to switch to other alternative sources of energy use was especially good for Africa, its women and children.
He said, “I remember when I visited a school in the Northern Region some time ago and was able to enter the kitchen because of the heavy smoke emanating from the use of firewood. heating… in the same way in our villages and homes, women continue to use firewood and charcoal for household chores. goal with its heavy health burden.
Dr Opoku Prempeh said these factors, together with other relevant industry needs, made it prudent for the country to explore and produce more hydrocarbons and associated gas for use by many homes and industries. Africans, adding: “we are creating a just energy transition for Africa… which is paramount in the long term”.
The Minister of Energy was speaking at the 2022 Local Content Conference and Expo in Takoradi in the Western Region on the theme “Sustaining Local Content Development Through Enhanced Exploration and Production Activities in The Era of Energy Transition”.
The annual event hosted by the Petroleum Commission (PC) and its partners would spark conversations on preparing the country for transition, establishing a regional oil and gas business, developing a strategy for the future , the role of academia in sustaining local content development and offshore asset management. the environment and the role of indigenous Ghanaian businesses.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh noted that the country is blessed with a lot of minerals to add in the quest for green technologies and noted the urgent steps to add value to these minerals rather than exporting them to other countries. in raw state.
The Minister of Energy indicated that Ghana’s energy transition framework, which was announced in Egypt, would cost $561 billion but, in the meantime, the country was ready to advance the use of gas, adding: “ Gas is the new breed”.
Ghana, he pointed out, needs time and training for effective transition processes, given the strong development of local expertise.
The Energy Minister explained that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had also assured the global community of Ghana’s full commitment to increasing the proportion of renewables in the national energy mix at the just-held COP 27. finish in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.
Dr Opoku Prempeh added that the country would continue to increase the share of renewables in its power generation mix, as well as explore options for hydrogen gas and other clean energy sources to meet its energy needs, adding that “Ghana’s National Energy Transition Framework, which had been put in place following extensive national consultations will guide our transition to a net zero economy by 2070.”
Petroleum Commission Chief Executive, Mr. Egbert Faibille Jnr, said the conference will deepen advocacy for local content development to improve exploration and production activities in an era of energy transition. which aimed to reduce the production and consumption of hydrocarbons and other high-carbon products. energy resources.
He pointed out that the development of local content in the upstream oil and gas industry thrives best with increased exploration and production activities where huge opportunities are created for both the local supply chain and employment.
The CEO of the Petroleum Commission said that since the discovery of hydrocarbons in commercial quantities in 2007, the country has made significant progress in taking advantage of local content development opportunities presented by its growing industry.
“While on this path of hydrocarbon exploration and production, Ghana, like other resource-rich developing economies, has faced energy transition. almost global and growing of a gradual transition from fossil fuels to renewables or a movement from black to green in the global energy mix.
The CEO of PC mentioned that one of the main effects of the transition has been the systematic shift of investments from fossil fuel development projects to renewable energy.
He said Ghana’s commitment and positions on energy transition envisaged a harmonious coexistence of exploration and production activities and renewable energy, noting that “the future still looks bright for the development of local content in Ghana. “.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, said the choice of the region provided participants with an opportunity to engage the oil and gas sector and make the region feel part of it. of the oil and gas sector.
He prayed that the actors of the sector formulate policies that stimulate local participation in development… “I believe that you must create local champions and present them as your success story in the local development campaign”.
Mr. Darko-Mensah added that the conference should also ensure that strategies are defined to ensure transparency, openness and maximization of oil and gas potentials for communities.
