The Ghana Energy Awards (GEA) has officially opened nominations at a media launch and Opening of Nominations in Accra, under the theme: “Global Decarbonisation: A Just and Equitable Energy Transition in Ghana.”

Organized by the Energy Media Group (EMG) in partnership with GP Business Consulting, the awards scheme is to recognise the innovation and excellence of organisations and individuals in the country’s energy sector.

Ing. Henry Teinor, the CEO of EMG and the Event Director of the GEA, in his welcome address noted that the ceremony was to unveil the theme for this year’s event and officially open nominations for all players in the country’s energy sector to participate in various categories of the awards.

He said as the custom of the awards initiative was, “the theme for the Ghana Energy Awards for every year is a reflection of the most topical discourse in the energy sector in Ghana, with a global focus.” Thus, for this 2022 event, the Awards Secretariat and the Awarding Panel, in response to the Energy Minister’s request to be part of the theme selection process, engaged the sector Ministry to have the theme aligned to the country’s position on the ongoing discussion on the country’s energy transition.

Lawyer Kwame Jantuah, an Energy Consultant and Chairman of the GEA Awarding Panel, in his keynote address also stated that the choice of theme for this year reflects current world events and the president’s presentation at the COP26 where he had indicated Ghana will combat climate change, but also protect its development. The country, President Akufo-Addo had said, acknowledges the importance and effects of climate change and the urgent need to combat it, however, it was also of equal necessity to protect the country’s development. For this reason, a balance needs to be struck and maintained between the country’s social, economic and environmental imperatives.

The Awarding Panel Chairman added that the theme for this year is also in line with the Energy Ministry’s launch of Ghana’s Energy Transition Policy by Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, the Minister of Energy. It is therefore evident, he said, that nominees’ efforts can contribute to the country’s transition.

“Ours is to assess how our nominees have struck the delicate balance between Climate Change, Pollution of the Environment and Energy Transition vis-à-vis their normal operations and whether these changes will continue to protect and expand the country’s development, or their quest to achieve this balance through their operations will or has acted negatively on the country’s development,” he noted.

GEA 2022 features a total of 23 categories: 19 competitive and four non-competitive, including the Energy Personality of the Year (Male and Female), CEO of the Year (Power and Petroleum), Energy Institution of the Year, Brand of the Year, Rising Star Award, Energy Think-Tank of the Year, Innovation Project of the Year, Excellence in Power Generation, Women in Energy Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, among others.

Moreover, in line with the theme, five new categories have been added for this year: Visionary Leadership Award, Eco-Innovation Business Award, Outstanding Energy Management Award, Sustainable Energy Partnership Award and Novel Deployment of RE Technology Award.

On behalf of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, Dr Robert Sogbadji, Deputy Director of Power, Ministry of Energy said the theme is timely as it reinforces the Ministry’s agenda, and will, therefore, go a long way to accelerate the implementation of Ghana’s energy transition. Meanwhile, to facilitate this course, the Energy Transition Committee has been set up. He further stressed the Ministry’s commitment and support to the GEA initiative.

The Media Launch is the beginning of a series of activities outlined toward the main event. Others are the Energy Personalities Outreach Programme, where the apex award winners get the opportunity to interact with students of selected second cycle institutions; Courtesy Calls on industry partners, Site Visitation to nominees’ projects sites, among others.

Industry partners for the GEA 2022 include the Volta River Authority, Bui Power Authority, Ghana Gas, Meinergy Technology, Sunon Asogli Power, GOIL, Energy Commission, COPEC Ghana and Hendan Transport & Logistics.