The Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has called for an effective coordination and transparent accounting systems that are internationally acceptable to unlock the enormous investment and financing opportunities available for the clean cooking sector.
According to the sector Minister, Local capacity is required to support the growth of the clean cooking industry in our respective countries.
Speaking at the Clean Cooking Forum 2022 held in Accra, Dr.Matthew Opoku Prempeh says his outfit has been working towards this mandate
“The Ministry of Energy in collaboration with the Energy Commission launched the Senior High Schools Renewable Energy Challenge to provide a platform for second-cycle schools to develop interest in research and development and innovating renewable energy and clean cooking solutions for the Ghanaian market and beyond”.
He further disclosed that “In 2019, Cabinet approved the Public-Private-Partnership project to locally produce and distribute Five Hundred Thousand (500,000) Improved Cookstoves jointly with the Ministry of Energy and the Climate Change Center (CCC) of South Korea.”
Also delivering an address at the Forum was the Second Lady of Ghana, Samira Bawumia who was quick to urge Governments and Developmental Agencies to continue taking measures to prioritize the issue of Clean cooking as a major policy initiative.
“There must be a focus on the affordability, innovation and adaptability of clean cooking solutions in order to ensure sustainable development. Reducing prices via low-cost design, local production, innovative distribution and financing models can lower upfront stove costs and significantly extend access to clean cooking solutions”.
The 2022 edition of the Global Clean Cooking Forum was hosted by the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) and the Government of Ghana from October 11-13. With more than 600 attendees from over 50 countries, the Forum is the world’s largest convening of investors, executives, government officials, academics, and advocates working to accelerate access to clean cooking.
According to statistics, around 3 out of 4 Ghanaians depend on polluting fuels such as charcoal, wood, and kerosene to cook their meals. Cooking this way leads to thousands of premature deaths in Ghana each year, while also polluting the air and causing widespread forest degradation.