Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr. Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, a sustainable energy specialist, has urged the government to diversify Ghana’s energy mix to ensure reliable and affordable electricity for the 24-hour economy initiative.
He said there was the need to include clean coal, natural gas, and nuclear as primary fuels for the power sector.
Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo, the immediate past Director of Renewable Energy at the Bui Power Authority, made these remarks during an interview with the Ghana News Agency at a public lecture marking the fifth anniversary of Energy News Africa.
The lecture was on the theme: “24-Hour Economy: Can Ghana’s Current Energy Situation Support the Policy?”
Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo said that affordable electrical power is the backbone of any industrialized country with a 24-hour economy initiative, adding that Ghana must double or triple its power availability, especially during peak demand.
“My advice to the current government is one, they should change their current policy of the line 82 per cent of solar, as our policy is ambitious and not material. For now, the current policy does not match the 24-hours,” he said.
Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo noted that a diversified energy mix would reduce Ghana’s vulnerability to power outages and disruptions, positively impacting businesses and industries.
“Moreover, a reliable energy supply would also improve the overall quality of life for Ghanaians. So, it is important that the current government to first look at the policy instruments and re-align it to meet the expertise of industry,” he urged.
Dr. Ishmael Nii Amanor Dodoo, Head of Innovative Finance, Partnership, and Markets at the 24-hour Economy and Accelerated Exports Secretariat, said the government was implementing bold energy sector reforms to ensure uninterrupted power supply for the 24-hour economy policy.
He noted that peak power demand reached 3,952 MW in December 2024, a 9.2 per cent increase over 2023.
“This involves strategic investments in our energy and green transition future once and for all with the view to making Ghana a 24-hour economy, robust and a powerhouse for West African markets and Africa, tapping into the AfCFTA,” he said.
Dr. Dodoo described the 24-hour economy initiative as a generational shift in redefining Ghana’s global economic standing, grounded in robust infrastructure, including energy.
“Therefore, let us transition from rhetoric to concrete action, building a reliable, resilient, and renewable energy system that powers not only industry but also job creation, national progress, and collective pride,” he said to industry players.
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