Vice President and flagbearerof the New Patriotic Party (NPP) , Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced plans to establish a solar panel manufacturing company in Ghana if elected as president in the 2024 general elections.
He explained that this initiative would create job opportunities for the youth.
During a community engagement at Ledzekuku in the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, September 12, 2024, Dr. Bawumia pledged to reduce electricity tariffs by 50%. He said this significant reduction would be made possible by increasing Ghana’s reliance on solar energy as a key power source.
Dr. Bawumia highlighted that the country’s dependence on oil and gas for electricity generation has resulted in fluctuating and often unsustainable electricity cost for both households and businesses.
To address this, he noted that his administration would prioritize the development of large-scale solar power projects nationwide.
He emphasized the need for Ghana to transition from a primary dependence on oil and gas to solar energy, which he described as a freely available resource. Dr. Bawumia outlined a plan to increase solar power generation by 2000MW, which, he said, would lead to a 50% reduction in electricity bills.
To support this goal, he promised to strengthen the local manufacturing industry by establishing solar panel factories in Ghana, reducing reliance on imports and supporting the creation of thousands of jobs. Dr. Bawumia stressed that the solar panels required to generate the additional 2000MW should be produced domestically.