President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major initiative to reduce electricity consumption in public institutions by installing solar energy systems across Ghana.
Speaking during his 2026 State of the Nation Address on Friday, February 27, Mahama said the government is taking deliberate steps to make public institutions more energy-efficient while reducing operational costs.
“Under the off-grid solar home system for public institutions, delivery of materials for the first phase of 350 systems has commenced. It means that public institutions are going to be fitted with solar to reduce their power consumption,” he told Parliament.
The program is part of a broader set of energy sector reforms that have seen the Rural Electrification Program connect 200 out of 400 targeted communities to the national grid, raising electricity access to 89.05 percent.
In addition, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transitions is constructing 35 mini-grids to serve 47 islands and lakeside communities in the Oti, Savannah, and Bono East regions.
Mahama highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen electricity generation and distribution, noting that solar projects already include 250 megawatts of installed capacity, with 50 megawatts added through the BWI Power Authority and 30 megawatts via rooftop installations.
“A few months ago, I broke ground for a 200 megawatt solar power project at the Dawa Industrial Zone, with the first 100 megawatts scheduled for completion in December 2026,” he added.
The solar initiative for public institutions is expected to reduce electricity expenditure, enhance energy security, and support environmental sustainability, while complementing other reforms like the operationalization of ECG’s single holding accounts, which has minimized revenue leakages and improved payment capacity.
“This is part of our commitment to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy security for our nation,” Mahama stressed, reinforcing the government’s broader agenda to modernize Ghana’s energy landscape.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
