By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The government has announced plans to scale up the Water-Energy-Nexus Project to cover all irrigation schemes in Ghana as part of efforts to expand renewable energy use and strengthen national food security.
Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, made this known at Dawhenya during the groundbreaking ceremony for the project’s first pilot, a 1-megawatt solar installation funded by the Korean Government.
According to him, the initiative will deploy large-scale solar photovoltaic systems, wind power, and other renewable technologies to run irrigation infrastructure, boost farm productivity, and improve crop yields.
“In the coming weeks, we will begin pilot projects in three regions. These projects will involve installing solar-powered pumps to enable all-year farming, boost food security, cut down the import bill, and stabilise the currency,” Mr. Jinapor said.
He further disclosed that approval had been secured from the Finance Ministry to support the project in collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry, adding that the system would also provide potable water to nearby communities.
Government, he said, would continue to partner the Korean Government to integrate advanced technology while mobilising internal resources to sustain the programme.
The pilot project at Dawhenya marks the first step in the nationwide rollout.
