Accra: The Northern Ghana CSOs Platform on Renewable Energy and Climate Change has urged the government to expedite the establishment of the Renewable Energy Investment and Green Transition (REIGT) Fund. The group has also advocated for the development of a five-year cycle strategic document for implementing the Energy Transition Framework, highlighting the importance of civil society organizations’ (CSOs) participation in the process.
According to Ghana News Agency, the appeal was made during a courtesy call on Mr. Issifu Seidu, Minister of State Incharge of Climate Change and Sustainability, by the Northern Ghana CSOs Platform on Renewable Energy and Climate Change, led by the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA). NORPRA, in a statement presented at the meeting, expressed its vision of a society without poverty, inequalities, injustice, and insecurity. The group emphasized its ongoing collaboration with other CSOs to advocate for increased public investment in renewable energy to drive agricultural-led transformation in climate-impacted Northern Ghana.
The statement highlighted the global impact of climate change, noting the severe effects on livelihoods in Ghana’s northern regions. It cited the area’s reliance on agriculture, which is significantly affected by erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged dry seasons. The resulting low agricultural productivity has contributed to food insecurity and heightened poverty levels in Northern Ghana.
NORPRA commended the government’s commitment to establishing the REIGT Fund, as outlined in the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policies. The group further urged the government to develop a strategic document for the Energy Transition Framework, implement the Accelerating Solar Action Programme (ASAP) with a budget of US$31.6 million, and follow through with the Renewable Energy Master Plan (2019). Additional initiatives include constructing Small Earth Dams, Climate Mitigation Plantations, and the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative.
The statement also called on the government to prioritize renewable energy investment in the forthcoming Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP-2026-2030). Such efforts are necessary to secure the US$5.6 billion needed for the effective implementation of the Renewable Energy Master Plan and to demonstrate commitment to the country’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goal 13.
Finally, the group emphasized the importance of increasing public investment in renewable energy sources such as hydro, solar, and wind to support dry season irrigation farming over the eight million hectares of agricultural land in Northern Ghana. This initiative aims to boost agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and create jobs as part of broader climate adaptation and mitigation strategies aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger.