Norway to support Ghana in renewable energy devt
Norway will support Ghana to develop its renewable energy capacity, using the private sector as the main driver.
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The renewed focus of its political agenda for Ghana follows the end of its assistance to the country to develop its upstream oil and gas industry when Ghana discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2007.
“While the Oil for Development Programme is being discontinued, access to energy remains high on our political agenda, but the focus will be on renewable energy," the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Ingrid Mollestad, said at a programme in Accra yesterday.
It was to commemorate the cooperation between the governments of Ghana and Norway under the Oil for Development Programme.
Oil for development
Norway's Oil for Development Programme, which was established in 2005, has been instrumental in helping developing nations such as Ghana to manage their petroleum resources effectively and responsibly.
The programme emphasised a comprehensive approach to petroleum management, encompassing not just resource extraction, but also revenue management, environmental protection, and safety considerations, with the ultimate aim of poverty reduction.
Ghana's journey in the petroleum sector began in 2007 with the discovery of the Jubilee Field.
Recognising the need for expert guidance, Ghana partnered with Norway in 2008 through an MOU.
This agreement laid the foundation for the Oil for Development Programme, a flagship initiative through which Norway generously shared decades of expertise in managing petroleum resources.
Oil for Development has been a centrepiece of cooperation between Ghana and Norway since 2008, even before Norway opened an embassy in Ghana.
Partnership
Ms Mollestad pointed out that much as the Oil for Development programme was coming to an end, there was still considerable scope for continuing partnership with Ghana on management of natural resources, stressing that the two countries were both coastal states and sustainable management of ocean resources was crucial for their future prosperity.
She said looking ahead, and despite concerns over the petroleum sector’s contribution to climate change, they were aware that oil and gas would continue to play an important role in many countries, including Ghana, for many years to come.
Outcome of the collaboration
The Director of Petroleum Directorate of the Ministry of Energy, James Yamoah, mentioned some of the significant outcomes of the Oil for Development programme to include Ghana’s ability to establish a robust legal and administrative framework for the petroleum sector.
These include updated laws, regulations and policies that clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of key institutions.
He added that a significant achievement of the partnership had been the creation of the Petroleum Commission, which he explained, had been pivotal in separating regulatory functions from the commercial activities of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, leading to a more transparent and efficient system.
“ Norway has also been instrumental in strengthening Ghana's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to oversee the environmental aspects of the oil and gas operation.
Additionally, the collaboration has helped Ghana design a fiscal framework that ensures the government receives a fair share of petroleum revenue while managing an attractive investment environment for international partners,” he said.
The Director of Research Statistics and Information Management of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Cephas Adjei Mensah, said Ghana’s decision to draw on Norway’s expertise had been strategic and beneficial.
He added that the success of the collaboration positioned Ghana to explore other avenues for future cooperation, and that the institutional networks established would serve as a strong basis for ongoing technical capacity building.
“Ghana remains committed to continuing the high standards established through this partnership and ensuring that our petroleum resources are managed sustainably for the benefit of all Ghanians,” he said.
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