Ghana must move beyond short-term fixes in the power sector and pursue a deliberate, long-term strategy to achieve energy sovereignty, Special Envoy for Reparations Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has said.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah made the call at the 3rd edition of the Energy Sustainability Leadership Conference (ESLC) 2026 in Accra, which brought together government officials, industry players and sustainability experts to mobilise investment and policy support for Ghana’s green transition.
“Ghana must move beyond short-term interventions in the power sector and pursue a deliberate, long-term strategy to achieve energy sovereignty,” he said.
The conference focused on expanding renewable energy generation, improving the financial performance of the energy sector, strengthening resilience and efficiency, and leveraging technology to enhance energy production and supply.
Stakeholders at the conference said the call was critical because Ghana’s economic transformation would depend heavily on its ability to guarantee reliable, affordable and sustainable power for households, businesses and industry.
For years, Ghana’s strategy has been dominated by emergency power purchases and short-term interventions aimed at keeping the lights on.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s push for energy sovereignty is a call for a coherent policy that balances immediate needs with efforts to build local capacity to generate clean power, reduce dependence on imported fuels, attract private-sector investment, and make the transition economically viable and environmentally sustainable.
Such a move would require Ghana to draw lessons from two African countries that have invested in long-term sustainable energy.
Morocco, for instance, invested more than $9 billion in the Noor Ouarzazate Concentrated Solar Power complex, one of the world’s largest. The long-term vision has helped Morocco increase its renewable energy share, reduce fuel imports and position the country as a potential clean-energy exporter to Europe.
In East Africa, Kenya, through its geothermal and wind power investments, made early and sustained investments in geothermal energy in the Menengai and Olkaria fields, complemented by the 310MW Lake Turkana Wind Project.
Today, Kenya generates a significant share of its electricity from renewable sources, giving the country greater access to renewable baseload power, improved energy security and reduced exposure to fossil-fuel price fluctuations.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah, together with other participants, said Ghana, with its abundant solar, wind and hydro resources, has a similar opportunity if it moves from short-termism to long-term planning.
The conference ended with a call for coherent policy implementation and increased private-sector involvement to drive Ghana’s energy transition.
Story by Bright Yao Dzaka
