Ghana's renewable energy agenda: Legislative drafting in search of policy paralysis

Abstract

Renewable energy has been touted as the panacea to Ghana's energy crisis, and one which will lay a solid foundation for industrialisation. Consequently, recent trends in energy policy place just as much weight on clean and renewable energy as they do on the age-old quest for energy independence. Using a desktop review approach, complemented with the analysis of government policy documents, we offer a critical perspective on Ghana's renewable energy agenda. We argue that institutional weakness, ambiguous regulatory frameworks, implementation challenges, lack of proper planning and coordination, and dependencies on donor support are responsible for the poor development of renewable energy in Ghana. We also contend that, if the renewable energy agenda and, indeed, the nation is to survive and thrive, the relevant legislative framework within the renewable energy sector must be reviewed. The paper concludes by identifying practical steps that need to be taken to place the renewable energy drive on a proper policy and legislative pedestal in the country.