Deputy Director for Power at the Energy Ministry, Dr Robert Sogbadji has emphasized the need for Ghana to leverage the benefits of the green energy trade regime.

He said this during his address at the Youth Participation in Energy Transition and Domestic Resources Mobilization conference in Accra on Friday, August 18.

Speaking to a diverse audience of industry experts, youth participants, and stakeholders, Dr. Sogbadji underscored the significance of transitioning to clean energy production and utilization.

This is particularly crucial as global dynamics are shifting towards providing incentives for products developed through clean energy sources in the foreign market.

The event, centered on the theme "Promoting Youth Participation in Efficient Management of Risks and Opportunities in Ghana's Energy Transition and Domestic Resource Mobilization," took place at Accra and was organized by the Strategic Youth Network For Development (SYND) in partnership with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI).

In his address, Dr. Sogbadji advocated that governments industry policies and programmes incorporate this phenomenon in the ongoing One District One Factory initiative. He highlighted the importance of integrating clean energy sources into factories to ensure competitive pricing on the international market.

"We have to make sure that this 1D1F that we are moving on, these factories must also come with clean energy sources, or else the products that will be coming from there will be too expensive for the international market," Dr. Sogbadji emphasized during his talk.

He further shared insights into the objectives of the National Energy Transition Plan. These objectives include identifying viable pathways for Ghana's transition to carbon-neutrality within a secure and efficient energy sector, capitalizing on equitable energy transition opportunities despite reliance on carbon-intensive industries, evaluating the transition's impact on various aspects of the economy, and formulating medium to long-term strategies for realizing a carbon-neutral economy.

Dr. Sogbadji highlighted that the transition comes with inherent geopolitical, technological, and financial risks while opening up new avenues such as green trading, job creation, and critical mineral development.

The development of the Energy Transition Framework, he elaborated, involved meticulous steps such as desktop analysis, regional consultations, modeling, drafting, and validation. The estimated transition costs stand at $561.8 billion. The funding sources are expected to span Government resources, Multilateral Development Banks, Development Partners, Private Financiers, and Beneficiaries.

Moreover, the shift to renewable energy is projected to stimulate employment growth, facilitate universal electricity access, and drive socioeconomic progress.

Senior Programmes Officer of NRGI, Denis Gyeyir, praised the conference's youthful and energetic atmosphere.

He commended the dynamic participation of young individuals, noting their pivotal role in shaping Ghana's energy transition landscape.

The conference effectively spotlighted the urgency of youth engagement in steering the nation towards a sustainable energy future.