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‘Let’s step up efforts to limit adverse impact of climate change’
Ghana needs to become an inventor of technologies as the global community transits into new and clean energies like solar for industrial and domestic use, the Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has proposed.
Mr Darko-Mensah made the suggestion at a dialogue on the National Energy Transmission Plan forum on the theme: ‘Moving Ghana to a net-zero future’ organised by the Ministry of Energy at Takoradi to solicit views from stakeholders
The forum was to help the implementation of a harmonious national energy policy as stated in the Paris Accord.
He added “We should not just be users and assemblers of technology, but, inventors and innovators of technology and we should start now.”
Mr Darko-Mensah remarked that, the present challenge required changes in the way energy was produced, used and made accessible to more people while drastically cutting emissions.
He again argued that, Ghana’s transition plan should position the oil and gas industry to play a more significant role in the development of the country.
“The Western Region as a major producer and contributor of oil and gas should be given the larger concentration as more and more industries are springing up.
“As a region that proposes to be a technology hub, we invite the Ministry of Energy to partner with the Takoradi Technical University to set up chairs and industrial zones at its engineering campus at Akyenyi to make the region developers of technology and innovation in the area of energy transition products and project,” he added.
The forum, Mr Darko-Mensah, said was aimed at collating views on how Ghana could move towards sustainable energy in line with efforts towards the global shift from carbon-based systems of energy production and consumption to clean energy sources.
“We have to step up climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts because there is a growing impact of climate change at the global and continental levels. For the earth to be safe, we have to effortlessly fight to reduce our emissions as industries,” he said.
However, at the heart of such energy transition, the Regional Minister said, transformations must come from the people because “we simply cannot leave 800 million people in darkness without access to electricity.”
Government, he assured, would continue to provide an enabling business environment and work hard to remove the blockages that hindered climate change and the growth of the energy sector.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Takoradi
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
