Ghanaian women in energy have gathered in Accra, the capital of Ghana, to deliberate on issues affecting gender equality in the energy sector and the role women can play in achieving energy transition.
The three days Women In Energy conference has attracted women in the West African nation’s public and private sector actors in both the power and petroleum sector to discuss ways and share ideas on how to increase women’s participation in the energy sector.
Under the theme: ‘Energy Transition: Prospects for Women in Energy’, the three-day conference will deliberate on topics such as ‘The Role of Women As Drivers of Change in the Energy Transition Process’, ‘Driving Women’s Readiness Towards Energy Transition and Prospects’, the Role of Internship & Mentoring in Energy Transition’, ‘Does the current Legal and Regulatory Regime Supports Energy Transition?’ Do we need new laws or amendments?’ ‘Role of women entrepreneurs in the energy transition and the Role of Women in Leadership in achieving energy transition’.
Speaking at the opening of the conference on Tuesday, Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare noted that for Ghana to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7, which is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy, would require active inclusion of women in all facets of the industry’s operations.
According to her, women represent 50.7 per cent of Ghana’s population and are important energy consumers due to their traditional role in household chores and the agri-food sector, therefore, stressing the need for women to be interested in clean cooking initiatives.
Touching on initiatives that have been pursued to promote gender parity, Madam Frema Osei Opare said successive governments have promoted Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education to allow students to acquire critical and independent thinking skills and become creative to solve problems.
Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare noted that despite the energy sector being tagged as male-dominated, some corporate policies concerning equality inclusion and diversification create a happy workforce, and called on the few women in the industry, who are in leadership positions, to remain a shining example to others.
The Acting Chief Director at the Ministry of Energy, Mrs Wilhelmina Asamoah said she strongly believes Ghanaian women have a critical role to play in the exploitation of Ghana’s hydrocarbon resources, hydro, thermal and renewable just like their counterparts in advanced jurisdictions.
She said the three-day conference would provide an opportunity for women to share ideas, network and also within the current energy transition conversation, find the way forward in addressing issues in the energy sector.
Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, an Associate Professor at the Department of Physics, University of Ghana, noted that a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) showed that women who have jobs in the energy sector globally constitute only 22 per cent-23 per cent.
Prof. Ama Klutse described the figure as not encouraging and underscored the need for efforts to be made to encourage more girls to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education to be able to take up future jobs in the energy sector.
The CEO of VRA, CEO of Petroleum, MD of ECG, CEO of GRIDCo and Executive Secretary of Energy Commission delivered a statement on what their respective organisations are doing to promote women.
The organizers of the Women in Energy appreciated Dr. Cherub Antwi-Nsiah, a former Director for Gender and Social Inclusion at MiDA, Dr. Joyce Aryee, a Board Member of VRA and Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare for their contributions towards women’s development in the country by presenting them with citations.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The equipment, described as the highest of such in the company’s history, comprises 22 power transformers, haulage trucks, transmission switchyard spare parts and 45No. earthing transformers, suspension clamps, vibration dampers, armour rods, circuit breakers, current transformers, voltage transformers and 100 tons crane truck heads.
The Technical and Monitoring Committee of the Governing Board, led by the Committee Chairman, Nsima Ekere, visited the Ojo Store as part of their two-day visit to the Lagos Region where they inspected key power transmission substations as well as the Ojo Central Store.
After the equipment inspection, Mr Ekere lauded TCN for the record stock delivery to the store.
“We have seen loads of equipment that give me hope that the new dawn that we have been expecting to see at TCN is here. We saw about 30 forklifts, mobile transformers, reconditioning facilities, all kinds of things, the conductors, isolators, several other types of equipment and electric scaffold mobile scissors among others,” he said.
He continued that “all are to improve the capacity of TCN’s efficiency in doing their work. I am convinced that the transmission grid expansion project that TCN is presently executing is ongoing and I must also commend the World Bank and other donor agencies that are helping us with funding.”
Mr. Ekere said that with the massive stock at the TCN central store, the capacity of TCN to wheel power is being enhanced.
Speaking on the quantum of equipment in the Ojo Central Store, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz said that most of the equipment was procured for donor-funded projects supported by the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), and African Development Bank, among others.
Engr Abdulaziz noted that resources have been committed by Donor Agencies, assisting the transmission company in its grid expansion drive, the capacity of the transformers he said, ranges from 60MVA up to 150MVA.
Speaking further, he said: “We have not seen this level of the massive supply of materials in TCN stores in the past, purely for network expansion and maintenance. We have 150MVA transformers which are very massive and will eventually be connected to our 330kV circuit. We have 100MVA transformers, high-grade cranes and other equipment. It implies that the turnaround time to rectify faults when they occur and the downtime have been reduced.”
He mentioned other equipment delivered to the Lagos store to include circuit breakers, isolators, and aluminium conductors among others.
He added that the equipment is what TCN requires to ensure that the system becomes more stable.
With these, TCN can now ensure constant maintenance of the grid due to the availability of spares.
Also, expansion and promptly scheduled maintenance of the grid will ensure a more efficient and effective transportation of bulk electricity to distribution load centres nationwide for the benefit of Nigerians.
The projects, when completed, would further enhance the quality and stability of bulk supply as well as longer hours of power supply.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
It is also developing 250 Megawatts solar projects with 50 Megawatts peak of the project completed and supplying power to the national transmission internet connection grid.
Apart from the award won by Mr. Samuel Kofi Dzamesi, his organisation, BPA, also won the Renewable Energy Company of the Year as well as the Eco-Innovation Business Award.
Commenting on the awards, Mr. Samuel Kofi Dzamesi said: “I dedicate my award as CEO of the Year (Power) to the committed and dedicated staff of Bui Power Authority. But for the hardworking staff of BPA, this award wouldn’t have been possible.”
He, therefore, urged the staff of the Authority to work even harder in terms of bringing innovations and developments to spur up the industrial growth of Ghana in renewable energy and other clean energy alternatives.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Mr Provencal was appointed Managing Director of BOST in August 2019 by President Akufo-Addo after the late George Mensah Oakley was relieved of his position as MD of the company.
At the time he assumed office, BOST’s assets, such as pipeline infrastructure, storage tanks, barges, tugboats and other vital installations had been abandoned for years without repairs.
Besides, BOST was saddled with huge legacy debts which dated back under the leadership of Kwame Awuah Darko, a former MD of the company.
However, the sordid state of the company had changed with the company seeing massive improvements.
From a loss-making company, BOST has seen a turnaround with the company posting Gh¢31 million profit in 2020 and Gh¢161 million profit in 2021.
Celebrating the recognition of his stellar performance on Facebook, Mr Alfred Provencal wrote: “Thanks be to God as covenanted in Colossians 3:23 supported by Hebrews 6:10.
“A very big Thank You to HE Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Hon. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, Hon. John Peter-Amewu, Hon. Amin Adams, Ambassador Edward Boateng, My Board Chairman, EKOW Hackman for the opportunity given to me to serve God & Country.
“To my Board Members, Management & Staff of BOST, CSOs, Auditor General, EOCO, Fourth Estate of the Realm, Bleoobii, Friends & Family, I say THANK YOU for without your hard work, advice & prayers this could not have been possible,” his post concluded.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
“Your benevolence has been deeply felt by the staff of the NPA. Your impact on the NPA and the downstream sector has been positively transformative and worthy of commendation.”
It will be recalled that Dr Abdul-Hamid was adjudged the Public Sector CEO of the year for two consecutive years—2021 and 2022— at the Ghana CEO Excellence Awards and the Ghana Business Awards.
This year’s Ghana Energy Awards was held on the theme: ‘Global Decarbonisation: A Just and Equitable Energy Transition in Ghana’.
The Vice-President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who represented President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the event, congratulated Dr Abdul-Hamid and the other award winners for their achievements.
He affirmed the government’s resolve to continue to invest in the energy sector to drive the growth of the economy.
The Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr Mohammed Amin Anta affirmed the commitment of his ministry to deliver President Akufo-Addo’s vision of providing safe, reliable and affordable energy “to put the country on the path of sustainability.”
He said the energy awards recognised those whose hard work has made the energy industry stronger.
A Deputy CEO of NPA, Mrs. Linda Asante, received the award on behalf of Dr Abdul-Hamid.
She was supported by Mr. Bernard Owusu, Board member of NPA; Madam Alpha Welbeck, Director of Economic Regulation; Ms. Evelyn Yeboah, Manager Permits, and Ms Natasha Boakye, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, all of NPA.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
He said it is refreshing news that interest in establishing nuclear power plants is growing across the world with about seventy countries currently pursuing nuclear power development as part of their energy mix.
Mr. Chudakov said per IAEA’s projection, there would be a significant jump in the total installed capacity of nuclear power plants across the globe to 870 gigawatts by 2050.
This trend would require the construction of twenty nuclear units of nuclear plants every year.
“We need to construct every year, not 5, 6 or 7 units but more than 20 units every year,” he said.
According to the IAEA deputy director, although the target is “very ambitious and challenging,” he said, “I’m pretty sure that we can reach this amount of nuclear power generation.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
