The Deputy Minister-Designate for Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, has pledged support for installing solar panels on government buildings, including Parliament House and schools across the country.
Speaking at his vetting before the Parliamentary Appointments Committee on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Mr Gyan-Mensah confirmed plans to transition government institutions to solar energy to lower electricity costs.
“This is something my minister has already indicated he will pursue. Government institutions, including Parliament, will install solar panels,” he said.
He also backed extending solar power to educational institutions to reduce their electricity bills. When committee member Laadi Ayii Ayamba, asked about power challenges in tertiary and secondary schools, Mr Gyan-Mensah said he would “suggest and support my minister in this regard.”
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Mr Gyan-Mensah further assured the committee of his commitment to improving lighting in market centres following concerns about poor illumination and fire risks from faulty wiring.
“I will suggest it to my minister and follow up,” he said, responding to a question about ensuring proper lighting and safe electrical connections in markets where many women work from dawn to late evening.
On Ghana’s shift from fossil fuels to renewables, Mr Gyan-Mensah called for a gradual approach. “Moving to renewables doesn’t mean we should abandon fossil fuels. It is a process, and that is why it is called transition,” he explained.
He warned against leaving Ghana’s hydrocarbon resources unused while pursuing renewables, saying the country must strike a balance between the two in the long-term push for net-zero carbon emissions.
