The Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND Ghana), in collaboration with the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has empowered young people to advocate for a transition to renewable energy. The two-day workshop hosted by ACEP in North Legon trained participants on developing policy briefs and using research to effect change.

The Executive Director of ACEP, Mr Benjamin Boakye advised members of SYND to be proactive and diligent. In his speech, he said, renewable energy (RE) is important hence the need for the country to switch to RE as it would go a long way to alleviate the over-dependence on the national grid. “The future is in RE” he said. Ghana in 2015 set a target of attaining a 10 per cent renewable energy mix by 2020, however, it extended its timeline to 2030 as it failed to achieve its previous target.

The Head of the Policy unit of ACEP Ghana, Pauline Anaman also sensitized members on channels to use in achieving great results. She emphasized that individuals or groups need to identify the stakeholders needed for developing a policy brief without necessarily employing the use of the media for every topic. The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) was established in 2010 to contribute to development of alternative and innovative policy interventions through high quality research, analysis and advocacy in the energy and extractives sector in Africa.

Chibeze Ezekiel,  the coordinator of SYND Ghana spoke on the state of RE in Ghana iterating that various assemblies need to involve RE in their Medium Term plan for the development to stem from the grassroots level. He added that, it is the vision of SYND through their renewable energy movement to create more spaces for children and young people to learn about renewable energy to enable them to be actively contribute to the achievement of Ghana’s 10 percent renewable energy target by 2030.

Patience Agyekum, a SYND member, taught participants how to develop position papers, policy brief and fact sheets. This ushered the group into a discussion session where they worked in groups to develop various frameworks on a case study and policy briefs.

SYND and ACEP hope the collaboration will give young advocates a voice in Renewable Energy (RE) sector.

 

Source: https://citinewsroom.com/2020/09/synd-acep-empower-young-environmental-activists/