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First Nearly Zero Energy building commissioned in Ghana
Mrs Alhassan with other dignitaries commissioning the building
The Energy Commission (EC) in partnership with Germany International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) has commissioned a nearly zero energy building in Accra.
Being the first of its kind in the country, the building will consume only as much energy it generates, meaning it will produce its own energy for consumption and very little from the national grid.
Commissioning the building on Friday, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Energy, Mr Herbert Krappa, whose speech was delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Lydia Seyram Alhassan, said the facility represented a remarkable achievement and a critical step forward in the nation’s journey toward sustainable renewable energy solutions.
“This building stands as a beacon of progress, a powerful testament to what is possible when we turn our shared vision into reality and it is a symbol of commitment, innovation, and the boundless potential of working together toward a common goal,” he said.
Furthermore, Mr Krappa said the building embodies national commitment to addressing climate change and reducing carbon emissions.
The building, he said would serve as an Energy Academy and a dynamic hub of knowledge.
The Minister encouraged the EC to go beyond the theoretical foundations taught in traditional academic settings and seize the opportunity to explore innovative technologies, engage in pioneering research, and develop solutions that would define the future of energy for the country and beyond.
The Executive Secretary of EC, Mr Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, said with the Nearly Zero Energy Building, the commission aims to reduce the country’s carbon footprint, use renewable resources efficiently, and serve as a beacon of what could be achieved through foresight, planning, and commitment.
Being fairly cheap, he said the building stood as a testament to the potential of sustainable energy practices to transform the way they design, construct, and operate spaces.
The Cluster Coordinator at GIZ, Mr Tangmar Marmor, said the building has to inspire a drastic change in the building sector in the country to adapt to the low consumption building materials and buildings.
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA
News
Pres Akufo-Addo inaugurates 2 projects
President Akufo-Addo (middle), being assisted by Herbert Krapa (right) Virgenia Palmer (second from right), US Ambassador to Ghana, Brain Herlihy (extreme left), Chief Executive Off
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday inaugurated the Ghana Bridge Power Project (GBPP) and the Flowerpot Interchange at Kpone Katamanso and Ledzokuku municipalities of the Greater Accra Region.
The project is to improve traffic flow and stimulate socio-economic activities in the region.
He announced that 14 interchange projects are currently underway across the country, emphasizing the government’s commitment to completing them on schedule.
“These projects are part of the administration’s broader infrastructure development plan aimed at improving transportation and boosting economic growth. “We are building a new Ghana. A nation that works for everyone,” he stated.
Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Roads and Highways, cautioned the public against erecting unauthorised structures along the intersections and medians of the newly constructed interchange.
He added that despite challenges government faced, it still remained determined to achieve the goal of improving the country’s road infrastructure.
News
153 apprentices in Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality receive start-up kits
Kosi Yankey Ayeh
153 apprentices, who have successfully completed training in various vocations in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, have received start-up kits to establish their own businesses.
The beneficiaries were given sewing machines, hair dryers, spraying and welding machines, and a certificate.
Distributing the start-up kits to the beneficiaries at a graduation ceremony in Ahwetieso, Mrs Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), in a speech read on her behalf said, these aspiring entrepreneurs have honed valuable skills in hairdressing, baking and confectionery, sewing and welding skills that would empower them to transform their passion into sustainable enterprises.
She encouraged them to use the skills and resources they have gained to make a meaningful impact in their communities and added that, they should not hesitate to reach out to their Business Advisory Centre’s whenever they had challenges.
Mrs Yankey-Ayeh said the Apprenticeship Programme, a vital component of the Business in Box Project, was a collaborative initiative between the GEA and Mastercard Foundation.
She said the government of Ghana, remained steadfast in its commitment to providing dignified and sustainable employment opportunities for the youth.
According to her, since 2017, the GEA had facilitated the creation of over 109, 471 jobs, with an impressive 67 per cent benefiting women.
Mr George Mireku Duker, Member of Parliament for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency and the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, observed that it was better to equip the youth who were eager to work than to give them a token.
The laudable programme, he said, must be replicated everywhere for the teeming youth, who were struggling to get jobs, so they could establish themselves for a better future.
Mr Duker stated that he had distributed equipment to support thousands of youths in his constituency and was therefore happy that the government was also committed to getting this programme done.
Mr Benjamin Kessie, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tarkwa Nsuaem Assembly said, through the programme 250,000 jobs would be created within four years by the implementers, who were on course.
He expressed gratitude to the President, Vice President, and the MP for initiating the programme to aid the youth, adding that the MP from day one had worked so hard to ensure that the youth in his constituency got a fair share of these equipment.
