Bawumia pledges to reduce electricity costs through solar power generation
The Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has reiterated his commitment to lowering electricity costs by prioritizing solar power generation if elected as President.
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Speaking to community stakeholders during a tour of the Ada Constituency on Wednesday, Dr. Bawumia expressed concern over the high cost of electricity for businesses and households. He explained that the high tariffs are primarily due to the reliance on expensive imported oil and gas for electricity generation.
To address this, he emphasized that his government would focus on solar energy, aiming to generate around 2,000 megawatts of solar power. This, he believes, will significantly reduce electricity costs.
"The reason why our electricity bills are high is that we import oil and gas to produce electricity, and those are expensive," Dr. Bawumia said.
"So I want Ghana to take the bold decision, which I am going to take by the Grace of God next year, to move Ghana away from dependency on oil and gas for electricity to solar power – the sun, which God has given to us for free. Let us use solar power to generate electricity," he added.
He further stated, "I want to inject 2,000 megawatts of solar power into our generation mix, and once we do that, we can bring down the cost of electricity by 50%."
In addition to addressing electricity costs, Dr. Bawumia highlighted his plans to reduce the cost of public transportation by introducing electric buses in urban areas. He said this would help lower transportation expenses, particularly in cities.
On food security, Dr. Bawumia emphasized that his government would prioritize the introduction of technology and innovative schemes in agriculture and fishing to significantly improve productivity and lower food prices.
