By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Sumbrungu (U/E), July 28, GNA –Thirty-three young people from the Upper East Region have completed an intensive two-week practical training programme in renewable energy and solar technology.
The training positions them to take advantage of growing employment opportunities in Ghana’s emerging green energy sector.
The training, organised by the Sustainable Energy Centre (SEC) of the Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), was aimed at building a pool of skilled manpower to support the rapid expansion of solar energy projects across Northern Ghana.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the University’s main campus at Sumbrungu, Mr Samuel Dodobatia Wetajega, the Director of the SEC, said the programme was designed to address the shortage of technically skilled personnel in the country’s growing solar energy industry.
He explained that the latest group makes it the third cohort trained by the Centre and assured that the SEC would continue to equip more young people with practical skills to meet the increasing demand for skilled personnel in the renewable energy sector.
Mr Wetajega said the Northern Ghana was increasingly emerging as a major hub for solar energy development, with several solar-related projects expected to be implemented across the five regions of the north.
“You need to brace yourselves to take up these job opportunities. This area is endowed with abundant solar energy, and that is why the government, development partners and the private sector are working hard to tap into this great potential to accelerate development,” he urged the graduating young persons.
The Director said the region’s strong solar energy potential, coupled with growing investment in renewable energy, could create significant employment opportunities for young people while contributing to the country’s transition towards cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy.
Dr George Alexander Dordah, the Dean of the School of Built Environment, said the global response to climate change was driving countries towards an energy transition, creating new opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship in the renewable energy sector.
He urged the graduands to explore the emerging opportunities and use the skills acquired through the training to contribute meaningfully to the development of the renewable energy industry.
Dr Dordah also cautioned institutions and organisations implementing solar energy projects to anticipate and address challenges that could undermine the sustainability of such interventions.
The Dean noted that BTU’s mandate extended beyond academic excellence, stressing that the University was committed to equipping students and trainees with practical and industry-relevant skills to enhance their employability and enable them to respond effectively to the demands of the labour market.
Professor Joseph Kinansua Laary, the Dean of the School of Agriculture, who represented the Acting Vice-Chancellor of BTU, Professor Peter Osei Boamah, urged the graduands to uphold integrity, honesty and professionalism in their workplaces.
He encouraged them to serve as good ambassadors of the University by demonstrating the knowledge, skills and values acquired during their training.
One of the graduands, Ms Awal Mohammed Mubarakatu, who expressed appreciation to the management of the Centre and BTU on behalf of her colleagues, said the training had equipped them with practical skills in solar energy that they would apply to help address climate change.
Another beneficiary, Alhassan Abdul-Hak Tizongyi, said as trainees they could not afford to allow the region’s vast renewable energy potential to go to waste. He pledged their commitment to using the skills acquired to promote the growth of the solar energy industry in the region
The SEC is one of BTU’s initiatives aimed at strengthening practical training, innovation and capacity building of young people in renewable and sustainable energy.
The Centre is also expected to contribute to renewable energy research, energy efficiency, clean-energy technologies and practical skills development.
It also supports training in areas including solar photovoltaic systems and solar-powered water pumping and irrigation, while creating opportunities for collaboration among students, faculty, industry and other stakeholders.
The Centre’s activities align with Ghana’s broader energy transition agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goal 7 on affordable and clean energy, goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities, and goal 13 on climate action.
With Northern Ghana’s abundant sunshine offering significant potential for solar energy development, stakeholders believe that strengthening technical skills and practical training will be critical to ensuring that young people are positioned to benefit from the region’s emerging green economy.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Email: [email protected]