The Government would soon inaugurate a taskforce to audit the prepaid meters, which are causing so much trouble for users of electricity.
Mr John Jinapor, the Deputy Minister of Power, announced this on Tuesday when he launched the second Ghana Renewable Energy Fair is to be held from August 9 to 11, 2016.
He said while the Government took steps to address the problem, that had caused consumer agitation in many parts of the country, consumers should adopt efficient forms of energy to help reduce the high tariffs, which people were complaining about.
The theme for the fair is: “Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Accelerating Energy Access and Security”. It is expected to be attended by local firms in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sector as well as researchers and other stakeholders.
The Energy Commission and the Ministry of Power would be hosting the fair, which would exhibit various renewable energy gadgets, including solar PV systems, biogas technology, waste-to-energy technologies, biomass and bio-fuel technologies.
It would serve as a catalyst for the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency and provide an opportunity to consolidate the gains of the maiden edition held last year.
Mr Jinapor expressed the hope that the event would stimulate innovative mechanisms for promoting the sector, while providing a platform of collaboration between the Government, the private sector and civil society for the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
He said the Fair should also be able to facilitate investment in the renewable energy sector as well as create linkages between the various stakeholders made up of academia, researchers, entrepreneurs, industries and consumers.
Mr Jinapor said the Government would continue to partner strategic stakeholders, including researchers and local firms, to transform the renewable energy sector.
He said various programmes and activities were being undertaken to ensure that Ghana enjoyed a safe and secured energy sector.
The enactment of the Renewable Energy Act, he said, had created the enabling environment for the development and utilisation of the country’s renewable energy resources, and the installation of 272 solar systems in public facilities.
These include schools and community centres located in remote communities without electricity nationwide.
Dr Kwame Ampofo, Board Chairman of Energy Commission, said the whole world was shifting to renewable energy path and to energy resources that were clean so it was proper for all to embrace mechanisms that would promote energy efficiency in Ghana.
He said energy access and energy security were the two major pillars of the national energy policy.
“This requires that we attain energy security by 2020, by which there would always be sufficient energy in the system to meet the rapidly growing demand at all time,” he said.
Dr Ampofo said the annual energy fair was, therefore, a vehicle to bring together all actors in the renewable energy sector to share experiences and expertise, acquire in-depth understanding of the country’s regulatory environment, firm up business transactions, and help develop a vibrant and viable market and adoption of renewable energy technologies. – GNA
