ASEC BLOG

  Ing. Justice Ohene-Akoto, Executive Director The Africa Sustainable Energy Centre (ASEC) has lauded the Energy Minister, John Abu Jinapor for his bold initiatives, particularly the decision to privatize the commercial arm of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) within six months. According to ASEC, this move aligns with the recommendations outlined in its press releases in August 2024, September 2024, and January 2025. ASEC emphasised that the privatization should be limited to the commercial leg of ECG, focusing on revenue mobilization, debt collection, and plugging financial loopholes. The technical operations of ECG, which Ghana has the expertise to manage efficiently, should remain untouched. The energy and sustainability think tank also praised the minister’s decision not to privatize the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Bui Power Authority, two profit-making entities. “These institutions should instead be supported to maximize their profitability for national devel...

On December 7, 2024, Ghanaians voted to remove the ruling party from power. It was clear that the country wanted something different—a change that might also impact the fight against 'galamsey' (illegal mining).  Over the past year, galamsey had once again become one of the biggest issues in Ghana. News outlets like Adom and Citi News constantly reported on how illegal mining was destroying our rivers and water bodies. As a postgraduate student at UCC then, I saw the effects firsthand. Water shortages became common because the River Pra, which supplies parts of Cape Coast and Elmina, was polluted by illegal mining activities. This wasn’t just an environmental issue but a crisis that directly affected our daily lives. In his final State of the Nation Address in January 2025, the outgoing President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo admitted how much the fight against galamsey had cost his government politically. “The fight against galamsey led to the loss of several parliamentary se...