Tema: The AbibiNsroma Foundation, a climate change-focused Civil Society Organization (CSO), has initiated a significant capacity-building community engagement on Just Energy Transition within the Tema Metropolitan Area.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative, led by the foundation’s Convenor, Mr. Bob K. T. Amiteye, involved extensive dialogue with various community members, including traditional rulers, councilors, drivers, transport union members, market women, retired workers, teachers, and journalists. Speaking at the coastal community of Tema Manhean, Mr. Amiteye highlighted the critical need for official community involvement in climate change and energy transition processes. He emphasized that Ghana’s current centralized and investor-focused approach overlooks traditional authorities and rural communities, which possess deep ecological knowledge and bear the brunt of energy poverty and climate vulnerability.
Mr. Amiteye recounted the distressing experience of a fishmonger whose smoked fish, prepared after a night’s labor, was washed away by sea erosion, underscoring the challenges faced by vulnerable community members. He advocated for community-led energy governance structures as a transformative solution, which would ensure inclusive decision-making, equitable distribution of project benefits, and increased accountability through citizen-based monitoring.
The foundation urged Ghana to institutionalize community-led energy governance structures within its national energy transition strategy, emphasizing the need for these bodies to incorporate the legitimacy and expertise of traditional authorities. Mr. Amiteye stressed that local authorities must be equipped with technical capacity and integrated into national policy processes to effectively co-govern energy systems.
To enhance the effectiveness of these governance structures, the foundation recommended that they be recognized under national law, endowed with regulatory and oversight powers, and supported by a mix of public, donor, and private funding. These bodies should function as statutory mechanisms with authority over planning, budget review, and dispute resolution, rather than temporary consultative forums.
The foundation also proposed the establishment of Regional and District-Level Community Energy Committees, with inclusive representation from traditional authorities, women’s associations, youth leaders, and cooperative groups. These committees should possess formal co-decision-making powers related to site selection, procurement terms, and community impact assessments for renewable energy projects.
Drawing inspiration from Kenya’s Energy Sector Working Groups and Senegal’s Local Energy Committees, Mr. Amiteye highlighted how early-stage community involvement can enhance project acceptance, reduce implementation delays, and improve sustainability. He advocated for the introduction of Community Benefit Trusts to allocate a share of renewable energy project revenues to social infrastructure and development programs, thereby fostering public trust and creating a material stake in energy infrastructure.
The foundation called for the development of a Citizen Energy Audit Framework, empowering communities to monitor project compliance with environmental laws, labor standards, and equity commitments. This framework should be codified in national guidelines, with legal pathways for addressing violations and submitting compliance reports.
Furthermore, the foundation criticized the underutilization of customary ecological knowledge in national energy planning, advocating for hybrid energy solutions that connect traditional knowledge systems with modern technological innovations. It suggested partnerships between technical universities, vocational training centers, and grassroots innovators to generate context-specific solutions like solar-powered irrigation, wind pumps, and biomass conversion systems.
Ghana’s energy transition, the foundation argued, can set a precedent for equity, sustainability, and accountability in Africa if it roots innovation in local institutions. Community-led energy management structures provide more than consultation-they offer a governance framework for achieving just transition outcomes, stabilizing energy markets, enhancing policy legitimacy, and delivering measurable development dividends.
The foundation emphasized that supporting local governance in Ghana aligns climate ambition with social cohesion, making it a strategic choice for long-term equity. Participants in the engagement sessions expressed a desire for ongoing interaction and partnership with the CSO for continuous information sharing and community development.