A Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has launched the 7th edition of the Ghana Energy Awards (GEA), in Accra.

The launch of the 2023 GEA event, which officially opened nominations for prospective candidates to submit entries, also unveiled the theme for this year, which is “Ghana’s Energy Transition Framework: Sector Institutions as Building Blocks for the 2030-2040 Targets.”

In its 7th year, the Awards Scheme, organized by the Energy Media Group (EMG), aims to recognize the excellence and innovation of individuals, institutions and organizations in the country’s energy sector.

Speaking at unveiling, Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer said “the government’s vision for a just and equitable transition framework aspires to discharge the country’s international obligations on climate change”.

He noted that across the value chain of the petroleum industry, the agencies and institutions are critical to the energy transition. “This is because almost invariably, their activities and operations impact on climate change or are affected by it. We simply cannot have a discussion on energy transition without institutions that are focused with the right leadership to implement the policy,” he said.

Andrew Egyapa Mercer called for a collaboration with the sector’s agencies and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the country’s goals are aligned to the conversation on the future of the energy sector, and the national industrialization agenda.

Chairman of the Awards Panel, Lawyer Kwame Jantuah, indicated that this year’s event seeks to recognize the various interventions and innovations being pioneered and introduced by players in the energy sector towards achieving the transition’s targets.

“We believe at the GEA, that every institution operating in the Energy Sector, both Petroleum and Electricity Power with the support of the Ghanaian Public should contribute its quota in the national quest to make the country one that is providing clean, affordable and reliable transitional energy for electricity power” and called for all to join hands with one mind and work together to achieve this goal.

The 2023 Ghana Energy Awards features 23 competitive categories, and four (4) non-competitive categories.

The competitive categories include the Energy Personality of the Year (Male and Female), Chief Executive of the Year (Power and Petroleum), Rising Star (Individual and Company), the Energy Signature Award, Visionary Leadership Award, Green Chief Trailblazer Award, Energy Reporter of the Year, among others.

The non-competitive categories are the Lifetime Achievement Award, Women In Energy Excellence Award, Osagyefo Young Leadership Award, and the Exemplary Leadership Award.

The 7th GEA launch also introduced the GEA Hall of Fame, which will honor outstanding winners of the Ghana Energy Awards community whose contributions to the country’s energy sector are substantial and longstanding.

The Ghana Energy Awards is an initiative backed by the Ministry of Energy and the World Energy Council, Ghana.

Nominations into the 2023 Ghana Energy Awards are open from June 27 until September 29. Prospective candidates can apply at www.ghanaenergyawards.com