President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says his government will diversify the country's energy generation portfolio and thereby help increase the renewable energy component of Ghana’s energy mix.

Addressing the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of the seventeen megawatt (17MW) solar power project in Kaleo and Lawra, President Akufo Addo said the solar power plant is a much-anticipated project not only for government but also for the people of the Upper West Region.

“This project being funded by the German Development Bank (KFW), at the cost of 22.8 million Euros, will see to the construction of a 13 megawatt peak project in Kaleo and a 4-megawatt peak project in Lawra. This will help Ghana avoid an estimated 7,400 tons of carbon dioxide emission every year making our country a cleaner place to live in,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Explaining further, he said: “On behalf of the government and people of Ghana, I extend warm appreciation to the government and people of the federal republic of Germany led by that outstanding European leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, for providing the funds for this project”.

The Lawra project according to President Akufo-Addo is expected to be completed by June 2020 and that of Kaleo is scheduled to be completed by December 2020.

"When finished, both projects will generate enough energy to power some 32,000 households and increase the geographic spread of power generation in the country," President Akufo Addo noted.

The President charged the contractor to ensure that he works within the timelines set for the completion of same.

The German Ambassador to Ghana, Christoph Retzlaff, in his brief remarks indicated that Germany is honoured to partner with the government of Ghana to fund the solar power project in Kaleo and Lawra.

“This project is the first of its kind and that can be considered as a role model for similar projects in the energy sector to follow," Ambassador Retzlaff said.

The Member of Parliament for the Kaleo Constituency and also the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, in a statement noted that his constituency is eternally grateful to President Akufo-Addo for ensuring that the Kaleo/Lawra solar power project sees the light of day.

He assured the people of Kaleo that all potential threats that the project is likely to pose against their livelihoods has been given consideration and adequate measures have been put in place to address them.