The 2023 edition of the prestigious Ghana Energy Awards has recognised a total of 34 individuals and companies with various honours for outstanding roles and contributions towards the growth of the country’s energy sector in an elaborate ceremony held in Accra.

Organised by the Energy Media Group (EMG), this year’s event, the 7^th in the series since its inception in 2017, was under the theme: “Ghana’s Energy Transition Framework: Sector Institutions as Building Blocks for the 2030 -2040 Targets”.

Endorsed by the Ministry of Energy and the World Energy Council Ghana, the event emphasised the strategic roles of the different sector agencies in achieving the country’s energy transition objectives.

President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, graced the colourful ceremony as the Special Guest of Honour, with the energy sector’s finest in attendance.

Appearance

The 7^th GEA featured a host of high-profile dignitaries in attendance including the World Energy Council Vice Chair for Africa and Secretary General of the Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation, Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim (virtual presence); Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer; Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), Monie R. Captan; members from the diplomatic community including the Australian Ambassador to Ghana, Berenice Owen-Jones; Vice Chair of the Public Services Commission, Dr Stella Agyenim-Boateng; representatives from the African Union; the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA); among other distinguished personalities.

Commendation

In his keynote address, the President congratulated the Energy Media Group, organisers of the awards, for their ingenuity in putting together such a unique platform that recognises and celebrates the innovation and excellence of agencies in a sector that is crucial to the development of the country, particularly acknowledging contributions that are helping to achieve the government’s vision of a robust energy sector.

President Akufo-Addo also commended the Minister of Energy and Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Dr Matthew Poku Prempeh, whose exemplary leadership, he said, is helping to sustain growth in the sector and its value chain through sound policy direction.

The Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, who spoke on behalf of Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said the Ghana Energy Awards is an important date in the energy sector calendar as it is an initiative that seamlessly complements the ministry’s efforts in developing the industry.

According to him, the energy ministry is poised to propel the country to meet its energy target of using power from clean and efficient energy sources.

Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Electricity Corporation, Monie Captan also applauded the Ghana Energy Awards for organising the event which initiative, he said, is consequential as a propeller to the energy industry’s growth and motivator for a highly competitive sector.

Role of institutions in energy transition

President Akufo-Addo in his keynote address underscored the importance of the various sector institutions in realising the country’s energy transition targets and called on industry stakeholders to commit themselves to the government’s plans for an equitable transition that fully utilises Ghana’s natural energy sources and energy efficiency.

Speaking on the theme of the event, he noted that it was essentially about the country’s future and how stakeholders could work together to protect it: “It is a theme that resonates with me because it touches the core of our very survival as a nation.” 

Ghana, he said, is a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change. “This means that we have committed ourselves to lowering our greenhouse emissions in respect to the effect of climate change, whiles ensuring that our development and the well-being of our people are not jeopardised.”

In this respect, he said, he outdoored the Ghana Energy Transition Investment Plan which spells out a reasonable path for Ghana to attain net zero energy related carbon emissions by 2060.

According to him, the plan (which he described as a living document) “will be reviewed regularly and evaluated to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to our changing circumstances and goals.”

The ambitious national framework is anticipated to require $550 billion over the next 40 years, about ten per cent of the country’s annual GDP.

Recognising excellence and innovation

Chairman of the GEA Awards panel, Lawyer Kwame Jantuah, explained that the theme for this year’s event, chosen in consultation with the Ministry, was a reflection of the country’s energy focus for the coming decades and assured that the Ghana Energy Awards would support the transition process through the prestigious awards scheme.

Meanwhile, Event Director of the GEA, Ing Henry Teinor, noted that the awards initiative aims to recognise the excellence and innovations of individuals and organisations who are shaping Ghana’s energy sector. The platform of the event, he added, further promotes the industry’s operations for an overall improvement in the national economy. 

West Africa Power and Petroleum Awards - Q2 2024

Ing. Henry Teinor further announced that the West Africa Power and Petroleum Chamber will launch the maiden edition of the West Africa Power and Petroleum Awards (WAPPA) in the second quarter of 2024 in Accra, Ghana.

According to him, though many governments on the in Africa are responding to the calls for the global energy transition, there was, however, a need to recognise that many governments have made efforts towards ensuring the security, access and reliability of power for Africans.

“Just as there have been severe misuse of natural resources in many states, there are also great stories of good governance practices in this respect which need to be recognised and appreciated,” he said.

There is thus a need for a platform to acknowledge governments in the sub-region who have created the enabling environment “in terms of good governance in the oil and gas resource utilisation and also various policies and legislations which have allowed for proper consideration and discussions leading to the ongoing efforts toward the transition.”

To address this need, the maiden edition of an ECOWAS-centered awards scheme, dubbed “the West Africa Power and Petroleum Awards (WAPPA)” will be organised in the second quarter of 2024.

The initiative, according to him, will celebrate the achievements of Heads of State and Sector Ministers in energy development, particularly efforts against climate change and towards the energy transition.

The first edition of WAPPA is to be held in Ghana, with subsequent events across the ECOWAS subregion. The awards’ major focus is the SDGs, specifically, recognising increased energy access and affordability, social intervention and resource governance.

The West Africa Power and Petroleum Awards (WAPPA) will feature only seven award categories: Best Country in Climate Change Leadership Award, Overall Best Performing President, Overall Best Performing Minister, Energy Personality, Energy Company – Power, Energy Company – Petroleum, and Social Intervention Energy Initiatives of the Year. "I would, therefore, encourage all governments in the sub-region to participate in this high-level event".

He subsequently urged governments and stakeholders within the subregion to participate in the maiden and ensuing events to promote the positive stories of resource governance on the African continent.

Winners

The 2023 GEA featured 24 competitive categories and seven honours in the non-competitive section.

At its climax, Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) bagged the coveted Energy Personality of the Year award in the male category; while Pecan Energies Ghana Chief Executive Officer, Kadijah Amoah, took the same apex award in the female category.

Chief Executive of the Ghana National Gas Company, Dr Ben K. D. Asante emerged the CEO of the Year in the Petroleum category, with Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana taking the same award in the power category.

In the non-competitive section, the Energy Commission’s former Executive Secretary, Dr Alfred Ofosu-Ahenkorah, received the Lifetime Achievement honour, while the CEO of the Liberia Electricity Corporation, Monie R. Captan was bestowed with the West Africa Leadership Excellence Award.

To cap the 2023 Ghana Energy Awards ceremony, Ing Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, the Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority was inducted into the GEA Hall of Fame after having won the Energy Personality of the Year award for three times: 2018, 2021 and 2022.

Below is the full list of Winners:

Competitive Categories

Energy Personality of the Year (Male) - Edwin Provencal, Managing Director, BOST

Energy Personality of the Year (Female) - Kadijah Amoah, Chief Executive Officer, Pecan Energies Ghana

CEO of the Year (Power) - Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, Managing Director, ECG

CEO of the Year (Petroleum) - Dr Ben K. D. Asante, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana National Gas Company

Energy Company of the Year (Power) - Ghana Grid Company

Energy Company of the Year (Petroleum) - Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company

Energy Company of the Year (Renewable) - Meinergy Technology

Energy Institution of the Year - Energy Commission

Energy Transition Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award - Dr Ben K. D. Asante, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana National Gas Company

Rising Star Individual - Bradley Poku Amankwah - Principal Coordinator (Acting), Ghana Energy Transition Office, Sustainable Energy for All

Rising Star Company - Cubica Energy

Green Chief Trailblazer Award - Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, Director (Renewable Energy), Bui Power Authority

Energy Signature Award - Thomas Manu, Board Member, GOIL PLC

Visionary Leadership Award - Ing Oscar Amonoo-Neizer, Executive Secretary, Energy Commission

Innovative Project of the Year - Public Utilities Regulatory Commission

Energy Reporter of the Year - Emmanuel Aboagye-Wiafe (Asaase Radio)

Energy Think Tank of the Year - Africa Centre for Energy Policy

Energy Advocate of the Year - Benjamin Boakye, Executive Director, Africa Centre for Energy Policy

Health, Safety and Environment Excellence Award - Tullow Ghana

Excellence in Power Generation - Takoradi International Company

Clean Energy Initiative of the Year - Bui Power Authority

Energy Investment Impact Award - Japan International Cooperation Agency

Off-Grid Energy Solution of the Year - Dutch & Co

Energy Access Leadership Award - African Development Bank

RE Infrastructure Project of the Year - Bui Power Authority

Diversification Pioneer Award - TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC

Brand of the Year - PETROSOL Ghana

Corporate Social Responsibility of the Year - Volta River Authority

Non-Competitive Categories

Women In Energy Excellence Award - Ing Sophie Abena Tijani, FGHIE - Vice President, Ghana Institution of Engineering

Lifetime Achievement Award - Dr Alfred Ofosu-Ahenkorah, former Executive Secretary, Energy Commission

Exemplary Leadership Award - Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Chief Executive, National Petroleum Authority

Osagyefo Young Leadership Award - Dr Bright Mawuko Sogbadji - Deputy Director Power (Nuclear and Renewable Energy), Ministry of Energy

West Africa Exceptional Leadership Award - Hon Monie R. Captan, Liberia Electricity Corporation

Ghana Energy Awards (GEA) Hall Of Fame - Ing Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, Chief Executive, Volta River Authority

Transformational Business Excellence Award - Joseph Kweku Horgle, Chief Executive Officer, JK Horgle Transport and Company