Bolgatanga: The Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) has called on the government to prioritize renewable energy in its 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policies. This recommendation, addressed to the Minister of Finance, highlights the urgent need for renewable energy focus in the agricultural sector, particularly in Northern Ghana.
According to Ghana News Agency, the statement was signed by Mr. Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, the Executive Director of NORPRA. It emphasizes the detrimental impacts of climate change on livelihoods in Northern Ghana, where over 8 million hectares of arable land face erratic rainfall for three months and a prolonged nine-month dry season annually. This poses a significant threat to the sustainable livelihoods of the population, over 80 percent of whom rely on rain-fed agriculture.
The statement highlights the potential for renewable energy development, such as hydro and solar, in the region’s vast lands and high temperatures. NORPRA advocates for public investment in renewable energy projects to foster agricultural transformation, improve food security, and reduce poverty in Northern Ghana. This aligns with sustainable development goals and Africa Agenda 2063.
The statement further asserts that the Finance Ministry’s focus on this sector would demonstrate a commitment to mitigating climate change impacts. It would also align with Ghana’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, which calls for significant investment to promote resilience and livelihood opportunities in climate-vulnerable agricultural landscapes.
The statement underscores that prioritizing renewable energy in the 2025 Budget will support the Renewable Energy Act, 2011, the National Energy Transition Framework, and NDC manifestoes. It will also encourage diversification of Ghana’s energy mix and reduce dependency on fossil fuels through strategic irrigation schemes, such as the Tamne, Vea, Pwalugu, and Bui Irrigation Projects.
NORPRA warns against repeating past policy failures, such as the One Village, One Dam policy, and urges the Mahama-led government to implement the proposed Renewable Energy for Agric program effectively for balanced national development.
