Ghana Energy Commission's Gender Plan to Boost Performance, Inclusiveness

The Energy Commission, under the leadership of Board Chairman Professor John Gatsi, is proactively championing gender equality through its newly formulated gender action plan. This strategic initiative is designed not merely to comply with national policies but to fundamentally enhance the commission's performance, foster innovation, and ensure greater inclusiveness across all its operations, from human resources to project management.

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Our gender action plan will lead to improve energy efficiency, better renewable energy practices and overall performance. The commission, which includes human resource, project, estate and procurement should be affected by these changes.

Professor Gatsi emphasized that the commission's mandate extends beyond regulating energy in its "purest sense." It encompasses the entire organizational structure, including management, the board, human resources, projects, estate, and procurement. By mainstreaming the national gender policy, the commission aims to address sector-specific challenges and ensure that principles of equality and participation are reflected in all aspects of its work. The current representation, with two women on the board and women holding key positions in human resources, legal, procurement, finance, and as executive secretary, demonstrates a strong foundation for this policy.

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The national gender policy bind all institution and the Commission’s mandate is to ensure we all adhere to it. We will mainstream the national gender policy to address specific issues within the energy sector.

From the perspective of the Ghanaian Times, this is a commendable step towards achieving sustainable development, where gender is recognized as a priority. While the energy sector historically presents structural inequalities, as noted by Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah of the National Development Commission, initiatives like this action plan are crucial. It's not about "women trying to take over the whole space," as Coordinator Ms. Catherine Achuliwor clarified, but about ensuring equal opportunities, promoting gender mainstreaming, and addressing unconscious biases. The Energy Commission's commitment to principles like equality, participation, transparency, accountability, social inclusion, non-discrimination, and gender balance sets a positive example for other institutions in Ghana and the wider region.

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Our regulation turnaround time, energy efficiency and renewable energy will be improved. Other forms of energy that we regulate will be done in more innovative way.