Minister Inaugurates 10-Member Local Content And Local Participation Committee

Members of the Committee in a group photograph with Hon. Joseph Cudjoe and Hon. William Owuraku Aidoo

Deputy Minister for Energy in-charge of Finance and Infrastructure, Joseph Cudjoe, has inaugurated a 10-member Local Content and Local Participation Committee with a call on the team to execute their task diligently and efficiently.

The Committee is chaired by Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkrah, Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission.

Other members of the committee are Dr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, Dr S.B Amponsah, Mr Solomon Adjetey, Miss Jennifer Brown, Dr Ishmael Ackah and Mr Benjamin Effah.

The rest are Mr F.K. Nagatey, Mr David Ruthven Adzogble, Ing. Kingsford Laryea and Mr Michael Opoku Akurang.

They are expected to oversee the development and measurable growth of Local Content and Local Participation in the electricity supply industry, monitoring and coordinating Local Content and Local Participation performance of all persons engaged in activities in the electricity supply industry in accordance with L.I. 2354 and ensuring the implementation of the provisions of L.I.2354.

Addressing the committee members, Joseph Cudjoe, who is also the Member of Parliament for EEfia Constituency in the Western Region, said the aims of Local Content Regulations are to create linkages, build local industries, ensure employment of Ghanaians and promote value addition.

Additionally, local content is government’s strategy to rally the citizens to take advantage of opportunities in the Electricity Supply Industry (ESI).

The objective of the regulations, Mr Cudjoe said, is to achieve about 51% equity participation in wholesale supply and distribution in the ESI in Ghana, and 60% local content, and also develop capacity in the manufacturing industry for electrical cable, conductors and accessories.

He touched on the progress made in Ghana’s power sector, saying the electricity supply industry has chalked tremendous growth since the power sector reforms.

“Ghana’s Electricity Supply Industry has seen tremendous growth since the power sector reforms. Indeed, the installed generation capacity available for grid power supply at the transmission level in the country, since 2010, has doubled from 2,165 MW in 2010 to about 4,360 MW as of mid-2018.

“On renewable energy generation, interest in manufacturing, installation, operation and servicing have also been heightened,” he said.

He was hopeful that the Committee would exercise its functions with outmost integrity, professionalism and efficiency to ensure that the purpose for which the regulations were developed would be achieved.

The Chairman of the Committee, Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, who said the formation of the Committee was long overdue, pledged the commitment of the members to executing their mandate to ensure that Ghanaians have the benefits of the local content regulations.

Chairman of the Committee Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah