The Member of Parliament for the Dormaa East Constituency in the Bono Region, Paul Apraku Twum Barimah, has appealed to developed countries to support their developing counterparts to transition from fossil energy to green energy in line with the global push for a sustainable economy.
He said there was also the need for the developed world to allow Africa and the developing world, in general, adequate time to harness their hydrocarbon resources to drive their development before making the transition.
This, he said would prepare them adequately to be able to self-finance the transition in a way that would not interfere with their national developments.
Mr. Twum Barimah made the call while speaking at the 2023 edition of the Africa Development Conference at the Kennedy Law School of Harvard University in the United States of America.
“Green energy is important and that is all we advocate for, but Africa must be given time to move one step at a time,” Mr. Twum Barimah said.
He said although developing countries such as Ghana were ready to aid the global shift to green energy sources, lack of funding and technical capacity made that difficult to achieve.
Addressing participants from Ghana, Uganda and other African countries, the energy and petroleum-focused legislator said this limited capacity by Africa undermined the global effort to transition quickly to a green economy fuelled by green energy sources.
“Africa ought to go through the process of financing, investments and infrastructural development among others as part of the transition process in preparation for the development initiative,” the Dormaa East MP said.
He thus called on the developed countries to appreciate the fact that Africa started enjoying hydrocarbons, which the western world has used to develop their economies and respective countries.
He thus expressed the belief that when Africa was given the same time and investment opportunities, it would be able to excel in this endeavour.
This year’s Africa Development Conference at the Harvard Law School was attended by the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and other high-level officials from Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, and other African countries.
