Connect with us

People & Lifestyle

READ: Barack Obama’s Tribute to Nelson Mandela

To Graça Machel and the Mandela family; to President Zuma and members of the government; to heads of state and government, past and present; distinguished guests – it is a singular honour to be with you today, to celebrate a life unlike any other. To the people of South Africa – people of every race […]

Published

on

To Graça Machel and the Mandela family; to President Zuma and members of the government; to heads of state and government, past and present; distinguished guests – it is a singular honour to be with you today, to celebrate a life unlike any other.

To the people of South Africa – people of every race and walk of life – the world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us. His struggle was your struggle. His triumph was your triumph. Your dignity and hope found expression in his life, and your freedom, your democracy is his cherished legacy.

It is hard to eulogise any man – to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person – their private joys and sorrows; the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone’s soul. How much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world.

Born during world war one, far from the corridors of power, a boy raised herding cattle and tutored by elders of his Thembu tribe – Madiba would emerge as the last great liberator of the 20th century. Like Gandhi, he would lead a resistance movement – a movement that at its start held little prospect of success. Like King, he would give potent voice to the claims of the oppressed, and the moral necessity of racial justice. He would endure a brutal imprisonment that began in the time of Kennedy and Khrushchev, and reached the final days of the Cold War.

Emerging from prison, without force of arms, he would – like Lincoln – hold his country together when it threatened to break apart. Like America’s founding fathers, he would erect a constitutional order to preserve freedom for future generations – a commitment to democracy and rule of law ratified not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down from power.

Given the sweep of his life, and the adoration that he so rightly earned, it is tempting then to remember Nelson Mandela as an icon, smiling and serene, detached from the tawdry affairs of lesser men. But Madiba himself strongly resisted such a lifeless portrait. Instead, he insisted on sharing with us his doubts and fears; his miscalculations along with his victories. “I’m not a saint,” he said, “unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”

It was precisely because he could admit to imperfection – because he could be so full of good humour, even mischief, despite the heavy burdens he carried – that we loved him so. He was not a bust made of marble; he was a man of flesh and blood – a son and husband, a father and a friend. That is why we learned so much from him; that is why we can learn from him still. For nothing he achieved was inevitable. In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness; persistence and faith. He tells us what’s possible not just in the pages of dusty history books, but in our own lives as well.

Mandela showed us the power of action; of taking risks on behalf of our ideals. Perhaps Madiba was right that he inherited, “a proud rebelliousness, a stubborn sense of fairness” from his father. Certainly he shared with millions of black and coloured South Africans the anger born of, “a thousand slights, a thousand indignities, a thousand unremembered moments … a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people”.

But like other early giants of the ANC – the Sisulus and Tambos – Madiba disciplined his anger; and channelled his desire to fight into organisation, and platforms, and strategies for action, so men and women could stand-up for their dignity. Moreover, he accepted the consequences of his actions, knowing that standing up to powerful interests and injustice carries a price. “I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination,” he said at his 1964 trial. “I’ve cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Mandela taught us the power of action, but also ideas; the importance of reason and arguments; the need to study not only those you agree with, but those who you don’t. He understood that ideas cannot be contained by prison walls, or extinguished by a sniper’s bullet. He turned his trial into an indictment of apartheid because of his eloquence and passion, but also his training as an advocate. He used decades in prison to sharpen his arguments, but also to spread his thirst for knowledge to others in the movement. And he learned the language and customs of his oppressor so that one day he might better convey to them how their own freedom depended upon his.

Mandela demonstrated that action and ideas are not enough; no matter how right, they must be chiselled into laws and institutions. He was practical, testing his beliefs against the hard surface of circumstance and history. On core principles he was unyielding, which is why he could rebuff offers of conditional release, reminding the Apartheid regime that, “prisoners cannot enter into contracts”. But as he showed in painstaking negotiations to transfer power and draft new laws, he was not afraid to compromise for the sake of a larger goal. And because he was not only a leader of a movement, but a skilful politician, the Constitution that emerged was worthy of this multiracial democracy; true to his vision of laws that protect minority as well as majority rights, and the precious freedoms of every South African.

Finally, Mandela understood the ties that bind the human spirit. There is a word in South Africa – Ubuntu – that describes his greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that can be invisible to the eye; that there is a oneness to humanity; that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us. We can never know how much of this was innate in him, or how much of was shaped and burnished in a dark, solitary cell. But we remember the gestures, large and small – introducing his jailors as honoured guests at his inauguration; taking the pitch in a Springbok uniform; turning his family’s heartbreak into a call to confront HIV/AIDS – that revealed the depth of his empathy and understanding. He not only embodied Ubuntu; he taught millions to find that truth within themselves. It took a man like Madiba to free not just the prisoner, but the jailor as well; to show that you must trust others so that they may trust you; to teach that reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past, but a means of confronting it with inclusion, generosity and truth. He changed laws, but also hearts.

For the people of South Africa, for those he inspired around the globe – Madiba’s passing is rightly a time of mourning, and a time to celebrate his heroic life. But I believe it should also prompt in each of us a time for self-reflection. With honesty, regardless of our station or circumstance, we must ask: how well have I applied his lessons in my own life?

It is a question I ask myself – as a man and as a president. We know that like South Africa, the United States had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation. As was true here, it took the sacrifice of countless people – known and unknown – to see the dawn of a new day. Michelle and I are the beneficiaries of that struggle. But in America and South Africa, and countries around the globe, we cannot allow our progress to cloud the fact that our work is not done. The struggles that follow the victory of formal equality and universal franchise may not be as filled with drama and moral clarity as those that came before, but they are no less important. For around the world today, we still see children suffering from hunger, and disease; run-down schools, and few prospects for the future. Around the world today, men and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs; and are still persecuted for what they look like, or how they worship, or who they love.

We, too, must act on behalf of justice. We, too, must act on behalf of peace. There are too many of us who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality. There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people. And there are too many of us who stand on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard.

The questions we face today – how to promote equality and justice; to uphold freedom and human rights; to end conflict and sectarian war – do not have easy answers. But there were no easy answers in front of that child in Qunu. Nelson Mandela reminds us that it always seems impossible until it is done. South Africa shows us that is true. South Africa shows us we can change. We can choose to live in a world defined not by our differences, but by our common hopes. We can choose a world defined not by conflict, but by peace and justice and opportunity.

We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. But let me say to the young people of Africa, and young people around the world – you can make his life’s work your own. Over thirty years ago, while still a student, I learned of Mandela and the struggles in this land. It stirred something in me. It woke me up to my responsibilities – to others, and to myself – and set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today. And while I will always fall short of Madiba’s example, he makes me want to be better. He speaks to what is best inside us. After this great liberator is laid to rest; when we have returned to our cities and villages, and rejoined our daily routines, let us search then for his strength – for his largeness of spirit – somewhere inside ourselves. And when the night grows dark, when injustice weighs heavy on our hearts, or our best laid plans seem beyond our reach – think of Madiba, and the words that brought him comfort within the four walls of a cell:

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

What a great soul it was. We will miss him deeply. May God bless the memory of Nelson Mandela. May God bless the people of South Africa.

Advertisement

People & Lifestyle

BLISS GVS PHARMA GHANA DONATES MEDICINES AGAIN TO CAPE COAST TEACHING HOSPITAL

Published

on

CAPECOASTPHOTO2024


Spearheading the initiative for the fourth consecutive year, Bliss GVS Pharma’s campaign, “Act for Africa: A Malaria-Free Continent,” aims to provide crucial medical support to combat malaria, particularly in vulnerable communities.

In a significant stride towards eradicating malaria from the African continent, Bliss GVS Pharma Ghana reaffirms its commitment to corporate social responsibility by donating over GHC 250,000 worth of medicines to Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and Winneba Trauma Hospital to commemorate approaching World Malaria Day 2024.

The gesture underscores Bliss GVS Pharma’s dedication to ensuring that every individual gets access to high-quality medicines, particularly in regions heavily burdened by malaria. The donation encompasses anti-malarial and other essential medicines like LONART, GSUNATE, Fricks, Gacet and many more.

The driving force behind this noble vision is the Managing Director of Bliss GVS Pharma, Mr. Gagan Sharma. His unwavering belief in the fundamental right to healthcare motivates the company’s endeavours to make a tangible difference in the fight against malaria.

Pharm Rosemary, the representative of Bliss GVS Pharma, underscored the company’s steadfast commitment to malaria eradication, she said it is our social duty to contribute towards ensuring that no one is deprived of essential healthcare, especially in the battle against diseases like malaria. Through our ‘Act for Africa’ campaign, we aim to play our part in making Africa a malaria-free continent.”
Dr. Eric Kofi Nyedu, Chief Executive Officer of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, who lead a delegation to receive the items expressed profound gratitude for Bliss GVS Pharma’s benevolent gesture, stating, ” We’re grateful for Bliss GVS Pharma’s generous antimalarial and other essential medicines donation, which strengthens our ability to treat patients, especially during peak malaria season and health outreaches in villages around the Cape Coast enclave. We have identified that Bliss GVS is dedication to improving community health through our partnership and we will always recommend them”
The donation of GHC 276,000 worth of medicine symbolizes Bliss GVS Pharma’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and its belief in the transformative power of collective action. By partnering with healthcare institutions such as the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and Winneba Trauma Hospital, the company endeavours to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve access to malaria treatments.

In addition, the students of the Cape Coast Nursing and Midwifery College were engaged in a health talk where resource persons equipped them with topics on personal and vaginal hygiene, malaria prevention, and spread.
On World Malaria Day 2024, as the global community unites to amplify efforts against malaria, Bliss GVS Pharma Ghana stands as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path towards a healthier, malaria-free future for Africa.

Continue Reading

People & Lifestyle

Stay Ahead of the Curve: How Profit Edge Gives You the Edge in Trading

Published

on

Trading

The tools or devices that you will never run away from for your edge in the business, for that matter. Traders are always ahead with the trading platforms that get upgraded and advanced tools. One, with rapid inroads, is profitedge.org.

That’s what this extensive guide to Profit Edge is going to go into.

1. Understanding the Importance of Staying Ahead

Anticipation, dynamic expectation, can move the edge into a market movement before it happens.

Profit Edge: A Trading Game Changer

This section assesses the ways to derive profitable trading opportunities and reduce the risks by staying ahead.

2. Harnessing Cutting-Edge Technology

Leveraging Profit Edge for Maximum Returns

The brand makes use of the latest technology in order to give analytical insight and live market insights to the trader. The brand with its advanced algorithms and predictive analysis gives a comfortable position to the trader to decide.

3. Exploring Profit Edge Features

Key Features of Profit Edge

This part presents some of the characteristics that make Profit Edge stand out from conventional trading platforms. Both experienced and novice traders have a very easy trading experience with Profit Edge due to customizable dashboards and easy-to-use interfaces.

4. Benefits of Using Profit Edge

Why Profit Edge is Essential for Traders

Benefit from the sample of the numerous benefits that Profit Edge has to offer, ranging from efficiency, accuracy, and profitability. The friendly interface coupled with advanced features will elevate your trading to the next level.

5. Maximizing Profit Potential Strategies for Maximizing Profits with Profit Edge

The following are the different strategies that show just how potential profit is maximized using Profit Edge: from trend analysis to risk management, Profit Edge presents all that it takes for you to survive in today’s competitive markets. ## 6. Overcoming Challenges

Navigating Challenges with Profit Edge

While all manner of traders—from the most novice to the most experienced—face challenges, how Profit Edge can help traders of all levels to overcome common obstacles and, therefore, control the typical rough market conditions confidently, is now pondered.

7. Testimonials from Satisfied Users

Real-Life Success Stories

In the following, you will certainly find the answer: from the beginner-level investors to professionals who have been in the business for ages, Profit Edge is praised for being easy to use, operationally reliable, and accurate.

8. Future Trends in Trading

The Future of Trading with Profit Edge

This section will take a look at some of the emerging trends in trading and how Profit Edge positions itself for the future of the industry. From AI-driven algorithms to predictive analytics, Profit Edge is definitely trading technology of the future. —

Conclusion

In summary, Profit Edge is a game changer in the trading world, providing that edge a trader needs to have a fighting chance in today’s markets. It can be that one empowering tool which will give advanced features and an uncluttered user interface that is easy to understand, ensuring giving out every minuscule detail for exposure to the users and possibly giving the best accuracy that no other platform might even promise. Profit Edge is made for young and old investors—what are you waiting for? Sign up for Profit Edge today and take your trading to the next level.

Continue Reading

People & Lifestyle

BTC Ai Evex ™: Your Gateway to Investment Education Excellence in 2024

Published

on

bitcoin

Welcome to BTC Ai Evex ™, your pathway to excellence in investment education for the year 2024. With very rapid changes in digital assets and cryptocurrencies, being current and continuous learning is very important. With BTC Ai Evex™, a person taps into information and becomes exposed to probably the largest knowledge base taken care of by professionals in that field. Let’s take a look at what makes the BTC Ai Evex™ site so preferable to any investor way before the somewhat toilsome run in the wild wild west of the cryptocurrency market.

Unlocking the World of Cryptocurrency

Understanding Bitcoin and Beyond

With https://cryptoengine.app/, we empower our clients with information that makes you have a comfort zone in the digital environment. Starting from beginner information on Bitcoin to very advanced details regarding Altcoins, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re a novice or an experienced trader, our comprehensive resources cater to all levels of expertise.

Embracing AI Technology

The advent of Artificial Intelligence has brought revolution to the ways of handling investments. BTC Ai Evex ™ presents to the world of users superior insights and predictive analytics use AI technology. Our AI-driven instruments analyze market tendencies, find patterns, and offer you invaluable suggestions for activity. You, as an investor, will be acting from an informed decision-making pedestal.

Navigating Investment Strategies

The right strategy must be in place for this crypto investment. Through BTC Ai Evex ™, the user can achieve several investment strategies that fit his goal and risk. So, whether you are looking forward to holding for the long term or you are short-term trading, this is the platform that equips you in building a successful investment portfolio.

The BTC Ai Evex ™ Advantage

Expert Insights

Our hall of experience, with many years of working in the crypto industry. We are home to experts, from the most recognized analysts to influential blockchain developers, combining one high-power team to present to you unbeatable insights into the world of digital assets.

Educational Resources

Education forms the base of successful investment, and this is the reason BTC Ai Evex™ has put together a broad spectrum of educational material, which includes articles, tutorials, and many others. If you are to get your basics clear or move on with something much more advanced, this is the place for you.

Community Engagement

Become part of a large, energetic community of like-minded people who are interested in crypto. While at BTC Ai Evex™, we develop collaboration and sharing ideas with the help of forums, live chats, and other means of network activity. Communicate with other investors, discuss some ideas, and be aware of everything new within the current industry.

Conclusion

Above all, BTC Ai Evex ™ is more than an investment platform; it’s a gateway to the educative investment excellence of 2024. We enable investors to move successfully in the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies with our full resources, advanced AI technology, and a vibrant community. Whatever a trader you are—the professional one or just making first steps in the field—BTC Ai Evex ™ holds all aces up its sleeve for your victory. Join now, and let your potential finally unfold in the crypto market!

Continue Reading

People & Lifestyle

Trading Made Easy: BitLQ Matrix Demystifies Bitcoin Trading

Published

on

98867496 bitcoin coins on ghana s flag cryptocurrency digital money concept photo

In the ever-evplolvieing landscape of cryptocurrency trading, understanding the nuance of Bitcoin trading is really tough for anybody—be it newbies or seasoned traders. But now, modern tools—like the bitql.app. Matrix—make understanding the ins and outs of Bitcoin trading easier than it ever was. This article, therefore, presents a means through which BitLQ Matrix demystifies trading in Bitcoin, showing how it works, its functionalities, benefits, and how it makes it easy for one to trade.

Unveiling the BitLQ Matrix

Understanding the BitLQ Matrix

BitLQ Matrix is an all full trading tool designed to make trading with Bitcoin a snap. Envisioning and using the most developed algorithms, real-time data analysis for advising traders and helping exercise their well-informed decisions under high market volatility conditions.

Key Features of the BitLQ Matrix

  • Real-Time Market Analysis: The BitLQ Matrix is thejson being analyzed by to determine trends and data that may create potential trading opportunities.
  • Inherent Tools for Risk Management: The BitLQ Matrix comes with built-in risk management features, assuring the trader of minimal loss probability and the highest possibility of return.
  • User-friendly Interface: The user interface of this platform is friendly for both novjsoni and expert traders.

How BitLQ Matrix Simplifies Bitcoin Trading

The difference is that BitLQ Matrix makes this much easier, with all the necessary market data and more consolidated, in the easiest-to-read design. For the greenhorn and seasoned investor, the BitLQ Matrix makes it easier to get the guesswork from trading Bitcoin.

Leveraging the BitLQ Matrix for Success

Maximizing Profit Potential

Notable benefits of using BitLQ Matrix include real-time identification of good trading opportunities. It is from advanced analytics and market insights that traders can enjoy price movements.

Minimizing Risk Exposure

Apart from that, BitLQ Matrix also avoids risk since it provides traders with instruments through which they can manage their positions accordingly. That is to say, whether it’s the setting of stop-loss orders or implementation of risks that must be managed, the BitLQ Matrix certainly allows for capital protection and, most importantly, loss reduction.

Enhancing Trading Efficiency

BitLQ Matrix uses a user-friendly, intuitive framework that is designed for smooth operation in the market, increasing efficiency in trading. There will be streamlined trade executions, and a lot of opportunities can be capitalized on without time wastage in cumbersome processes such as manual analysis and decision-making.

Conclusion

It is, therefore, making the BitLQ Matrix a game changer in the world of Bitcoin trading, cutting the process into a simple one and thus, in turn, empowering each trader with actionable insight. From the greenest novices to the grizzled veterans, Bitlq offers something for everyone in the dynamic world of cryptocurrency trading.

Continue Reading

People & Lifestyle

Unveiling the SYNERGY Edition of the Africa Makeup & Beauty Fair and Ghana Beauty Awards:

Published

on

CEO Speech Shot

In the heart of vibrant Accra, where the sun kisses the waves and the air hums with anticipation, we are thrilled to announce the unveiling of the 8th Edition of the Africa Makeup & Beauty (AMB) Fair and the Ghana Beauty Awards (GBA). From the 8th to the 10th of November 2024, the Labadi Beach Hotel will transform into a tapestry of creativity, innovation, and aspiration. This year’s theme for both events centers on “Sustainable Synergy for Eco-Empowerment in a Changing Climate,” emphasizing the transformative potential of collaboration and unified efforts. It underscores the pursuit of elevated standards, the fostering of connections, the pursuit of excellence for global influence, and the active involvement of both youth and women.

Nominations for the Awards Categories and applications for exhibitors and vendors will open on Monday, April 22nd, 2024. With a lineup of extraordinary activities planned, all stakeholders in the beauty and wellness community should mark their calendars for this unmissable event.

Sponsors, media partners, and volunteers interested in being part of this transformative event are invited to contact Makeup Ghana via email at ambfair@makeupghana.co or by phone at +233 55 2555555.

 Scheduled activities at the fair include Exhibitions & Discount sales, Business Pitch, Forums, Workshops and Seminars, Beauty and Fashion shows, Live Demos, and Barbers Competition. Showcase your brand or products to over 3,500 attendees, including policymakers, celebrities and influencers. Follow this link https://form.myjotform.com/92963095433565  Registration ends on 29th August, 2024.

With a total of 37 Categories this year, the call for Nominations for the Awards has commenced and beauty professionals, businesses and emerging talents are encouraged to partake in this life changing experience. Check out the categories by clicking on the link http://bit.ly/gbanominate Fill in and submit your nomination now.  Call for Nominations closes on 22nd July, 2024. 

Awards Process are as follows;

  1. Nominations
  2. Shortlisting
  3. Final announcement
  4. Judging/Public voting

For Details Contact Tel: +233 552 555 555 

Facebook/IG/Twitter: Ghanabeautyawards / Africa Makeup & Beauty fair

About Africa Makeup & Beauty Fair

The AMB Fair is an annual event to showcase and connect the Ghanaian beauty industry to African and Global consumers, vendors, partners and service providers. It provides an excellent platform for meeting new and existing customers, and it is the best opportunity for beauty businesses to position their brands and products at the forefront of their target audiences’ minds. The event also connects local and international brands, manufacturers, suppliers and distributors to new customers, markets and strategic alliances, hence there is no better place to take control of how the industry views your brand and make a lasting impression on your potential customers.

About Ghana Beauty Awards

The Ghana Beauty Awards (GBA) is an annual celebration for the Beauty and Wellness Industry, aimed at fostering excellence, by rewarding and celebrating pioneers, leading professionals and upcoming talent within the industry, as well as businesses and brands who are contributing to economic growth. It is the first of its kind to reward trailblazers and budding talent in the industry in Ghana and Africa. 

About Makeup Ghana

Makeup Ghana is a social enterprise creating a unifying platform for the stakeholders in the fast growing beauty industry in Ghana. Our goal is to bring together makeup professionals, makeup brands, beauty retailers and fashion & beauty content creators in Ghana, under one umbrella, to propel the industry forward. This is being achieved through Advocacy and consumer education & Brand Marketing; Showcasing talent and innovation within the industry; Training and professional development of practitioners and artists; Trade shows, conferences & Networking Events; Encouraging best practices and standards in the industry, all aimed at being catalysts for growth and inspiring excellence within the beauty industry.

Continue Reading

People & Lifestyle

Anansi Green Energy to deliver green electricity to Ghanaians through a new renewable energy platform

Published

on

Anansi Green Energy

Anansi Green Energy 

The Swiss renewable energy company NEK Umwelttechnik AG (NEK) has been developing in the past years six large-scale onshore wind farms in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, which are ready for implementation. The total capacity to be installed is approximately 1,300 MW through the six projects. These wind farms could produce about 3,400 GWh of green and cheap electricity each year for the Ghanaian population and the industrial sector.

To supply energy to as many customers as possible, NEK has established recently in Accra a new renewable energy platform, which will provide to its customers cheap, sustainable, never ending, and clean electricity to cover the increasing electricity demand in Ghana and to overcome dumsor. The platform is called Anansi Green Energy Ltd. (Anansi). Anansi will assume, over time, all of NEK’s wind farms and in addition will also undertake the development and operation of solar and biomass plants.

This new platform will have several equity partners, lenders, and investors, including large and well-known international power companies and green funds. Ghanaian investors, lenders and key stakeholders and institutions will also be involved in the implementation and financing of Anansi. 

The platform will act as a “captive” industrial power generator by selling the green electricity directly to industrial offtakers. It is hoped, in the future, Anansi will be the vehicle through which Ghana can become a renewable hub for West Africa as a whole by also exporting renewable energy through the existing WAPP network to surrounding countries.

pastedGraphic.pngFigure 1: Visualisation of one of NEK’s planned wind energy projects in Ghana which will be integrated into the Anansi Green Energy Platform

A lot of interested customers

Anansi is now starting to discuss terms with several interested customers for the delivery of green electricity. The future demand both in the country and in surrounding markets for green energy will likely grow significantly. 

Although there will always be a need for baseload energy capacity in the planning of any energy sector, both for environmental and indeed affordability reasons it will be essential to create a structure through which renewable energy can be developed, without such relying on the public sector. Mining companies, the concrete sector, steel manufacturers, but also other industries and the mobility sector will demand cheap and green electricity, which can be delivered by Anansi in the very near future.

pastedGraphic_1.pngFigure 2: Anglo Gold Ashanti. One of the big mining companies in Ghana which could be provided with clean energy through the Anansi Green Energy Platform. Source: https://www.anglogoldashanti.com/

No competition to VRA or ECG and no reliance on Government of Ghana 

Anansi will not become a competitor to ECG, VRA or NEDCo – nor will it be necessary for Anansi to have the traditional “take or pay” PPA with ECG or any support from the Government of Ghana. Anansi will be able to implement its projects without any reliance on the public sector at all.  Indeed, the intent will be that Anansi will have, as its partners, VRA / ECG in providing baseload capacity to its customers. 

pastedGraphic_2.pngFigure 3: Visualisation of another one of NEK’s wind energy projects in Ghana. The onshore projects alone could amount up to 1,300 MW installed capacity and are located predominantly in rural areas

Green Energy as a Megatrend

Green energy is enjoying unanimous support and gaining political and business momentum around the globe. The global energy sector is in the midst of a transformation. The global energy transition is now well underway, with ever-increasing clean energy investment and momentum for net-zero targets by mid-century. Energy security and sustainability nowadays go hand in hand and are top of the agenda for many governments worldwide. 

Africa is no exception, with the continent facing rapidly growing energy demand, critical energy access gaps, and an imperative for development. Africa’s imperative to accelerate its socio-economic development in a resilient and sustainable way could immensely benefit from accelerating clean energy deployment, as was stated at the COP28 summit last December. 

Failing to accelerate the development of renewables poses major threats to the continent already suffering the most from the impacts of climate change. Yet, while global renewable energy investments are reaching record-high levels, renewables are still critically underfunded in Africa, signalling urgent work ahead. This also applies for Ghana: Ghana’s energy outlook shows an exponential soaring of future energy demand. 

Thermal generation continues to require high-cost fuel and remains subject to the risks inherent in the ability for such fuel to be continuously delivered. Ghana will require an accelerated development of renewable energy, but it will not be able to do so if there remains a reliance on typical grid connected IPP’s with ECG as the sole offtaker and with full Government backing. It is not possible or reasonable for the public sector itself to assume such risks going forward. 

A different rule book now needs to be written, and Anansi has the potential to provide that new way forward right away.

pastedGraphic_3.pngFigure 4: Ghana presents a good opportunity to integrate different renewable energy sources into one package. While the coastal region offers good wind conditions (here is one of NEK’s met masts in Konikablo, Ghana, measuring the wind potential), it also offers adequate solar resources for the installation of Solar PV

VALCO modernization and expansion plans

Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO) has announced its plan to expand operations and seek a strategic partner which would be prepared to invest around USD 600 million to revamp its operations. The goal is to reposition VALCO in a way that retrofitting will transform it from a loss-making entity into a best-in-class, profit-making and shareholder value-maximising entity, thus become the ultra-modern and best smelter in Africa. 

With the projection of the building of 4 operating bauxite mines and 2 refineries under the IAI Masterplan as well as the revival of the downstream sector, the modernisation and expansion of the VALCO smelter is timely, thus creating a new VALCO with much more significance than ever before.

However, such plans require a lot of additional electricity, which at least for the time being is not available in Ghana. It is estimated that at the end of the retrofitting and extension program, VALCO will require more than 1,000 MW of installed electrical power. “Where do we take this from?”

The volume of green electricity required by VALCO will be significant with the realistic and probably only solution being the electricity capable of being produced by Anansi. Anansi will look forward to creating a partnership with VALCO and VRA, which could allow VALCO to attract international investment which will require such available green electricity and will also otherwise allow VRA to significantly expand its operations.

Green Energy, Green Hydrogen and E-Mobility

Green energy from NEK’s wind farms, as well as other solar plants and biomass facilities through Anansi will provide the cheapest generation costs for electricity in Ghana. While fossil power plants produce energy at approximately 15 US Cents per kWh, NEK’s wind farms will produce energy for less than 8 US Cents per kWh in current pricing. There are possible further savings to these costs as well through the application of carbon credits. 

The renewable projects to be developed by Anansi will be long term and allow for certainty as to the all-in cost of energy as there will be no relevance or risk for possible fuel price shocks going forward. The available wind and solar irradiation will remain free, and Anansi’s customers will be able to benefit from such.

In addition to green energy, Ghana should consider developing a ‘Green Hydrogen and Green Fuels’ and an ‘E-Mobility’ policy. The Government should consider key strategies and relevant road maps for the development of the “energy carrier” in the future. 

Green hydrogen and electric vehicles will need significant renewable resources to be available, otherwise, they cannot be called green. A strong political signal will trigger huge investments from abroad in the energy sector of Ghana and business activities relating to these future markets. The key for doing so is the implementation of renewable energy projects. 

pastedGraphic_4.png

Figure 5: With ongoing rural and urban development in Ghana, demand for mobility will increase even more in the coming years. The Anansi Green Energy Platform would be uniquely equipped to provide clean energy to an emerging e-mobility sector in Ghana. Here, a boundary survey is taking place as port of the project development work in connection with the planned wind farms of NEK

Outlook

Due to the heavily increasing demand for cheap and clean electricity in Ghana and abroad, much more renewable energy even than that capable of being produced in NEK’s planned 6 onshore windfarms, and the other planned Anansi solar projects and biomass facilities will be required within the next 5 – 10 years. 

However, land for such further projects may also become a scarce asset, especially in populated areas. This is one of the reasons why NEK has decided to start the development of two (2) large offshore wind and solar facilities off the coast of Anloga and Ningo. 

These offshore wind and solar parks will have an installed capacity of approximately 3,100 MW and will generate more than 7,500 GWh of clean and reliable power per year. These installations do not require any fuel, LNG, gas, oil or other fossil, outdated energy sources – the “fuel” is the wind and the sun, which are never ending, home-made and always coming back to Ghana for free.

Anansi Green Energy will play a huge role in the delivery of much needed green energy for Ghana already in the very near future. Now is the time for Anansi to create its positive green web in delivering sustainable and affordable energy to its customers, making Ghana a renewable energy hub in West Africa.

pastedGraphic_5.png

Figure 6: Illustration of an Offshore Wind Farm combined with floating solar, which will be constructed by Anansi off the coasts of Ningo and Anloga

pastedGraphic_6.png

Dr. Christoph KAPP, the writer is CEO NEK and Anansi Green Energy

 

Continue Reading

Trending