The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has successfully implemented the Power Africa, West Africa Energy Program (WAEP) over the past five (5) years. To mark this milestone, a lessons-learned event was held in Accra, Ghana, bringing together key energy-sector stakeholders, including government officials and private sector actors.
The event provided a platform to reflect on the program’s achievements, discuss lessons learned, and explore future opportunities for collaboration.
Since 2019, WAEP has made significant strides in expanding access to clean, affordable, and reliable grid-connected electricity in 23 countries across West and Central Africa. In Ghana, the program has partnered with the Ministry of Energy to develop a data-driven inventory management system, resulting in over 400,000 new electricity connections.
Additionally, WAEP has supported the Bui Power Authority in operationalizing West Africa’s first hydro-solar hybrid project, which has doubled Ghana’s grid-connected solar energy and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 47,000 tons per year.
The program has also empowered local communities by training and certifying wiring professionals, including women, in rural and low-income regions. This initiative has improved electricity safety and reduced the cost of wiring, discouraging illegal electricity connections.
USAID/Ghana Deputy Mission Director, Grace Lang, commended the successful collaboration between WAEP and the Northern Electricity Development Company (NEDCo), which has resulted in a 57% reduction in collection losses in the Yendi district. She emphasized the impact of collective effort and strategic partnerships in achieving these milestones.
Industry experts and program partners discussed regional and global energy trends, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts to expand access to affordable and reliable power across West Africa. The United States is Ghana’s largest bilateral development partner, with over $140 million dedicated to supporting economic growth, agriculture, health, education, governance, and more in 2023.
Source : Ruth Adjorlolo
