Ghana’s president H.E Nana Akufo-Addo is said to have appointed Dr Ishmael Ackah as the acting Executive Secretary of Public Utilities Regulatory Commission ( PURC).
According to a report filed by Accra- based Asaase Radio, Dr Ackah’s appointment letter was signed by the secretary to the president, Nana Bediatuo Asante.
When this portal contacted him on the subject, Dr Ishmael Ackah confirmed receiving his appointment letter, adding that he told he is supposed to start work on next week Monday.
Meanwhile, checks at the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) indicated that Dr Ackah’s appointment has not been brought to their attention.
According to sources within the PURC, the Executive Secretary, Mrs Mami Dufie Ofori has not received any letter from the Presidency terminating her appointment and therefore raises suspicion of the development.
Before his appointment, Dr Ishmael Ackah, who is an energy economist with more than 10 years of experience that spans public service, civil society, private sector, and academia was the regulatory and electricity market expert of the USAID West Africa Energy Programme in Ghana.
He is a fellow of the Institute for Economic Affairs Ghana.
He previously worked as the head of policy unit at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy.
Dr. Ackah served as the technical advisor on energy and petroleum policies to Ghana’s minister for planning for two years. He was the first coordinator of Local Content Secretariat at the Ghana Energy Commission.
He has provided research consultancies for the United Nations University, the African Development Bank, IHS Markit, GOGIG/OPM, Ghana’s National Accreditation Board, the Natural Resource Governance Institute, SNV Ghana among others.
He has published about 40 peer-reviewed papers in high impact journals such as the Energy Research and Social Science Journal, Journal of Contemporary African Studies, Energy Efficiency Journal, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, the Extractive and Society Journal, etc. Ishmael holds a Ph.D in Energy Economics and Policy from the University of Portsmouth, UK and Msc Energy Economics and Policy, University of Surrey, UK.
He had his undergraduate studies at the University of Professional Studies, Accra Ghana.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com