Accra (Greater Accra), 13th May ?99 ?

Mr Fred Ohene-Kena, Minister for Mines and Energy, on Wednesday announced that the government has reduced import duties on solar energy equipment from 27 per cent to five per cent.

He said this was to address the problem of the initial high cost solar energy technology which is mostly imported and encourage its application.

Mr Ohene-Kane made the announcement in Accra at the opening of a day's seminar on the theme "Solar Energy Applications for Economic Growth" organised by the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Danafco Engineering Limited.

Issues to be addressed at the seminar include incorporation of solar systems into new building development codes and standards for solar applications.

Others are incentives that can be used to accelerate the adoption of solar technologies and strategies that will encourage financial institutions to provide credit facilities to finance solar energy projects.

Mr Ohene-Kena said for Ghana to achieve the level of development target set in Vision 2020, the country has to increase her energy supply nine times the present capacity.

The Minister said in the document, it is envisaged that there would be uninterrupted supply of energy to all regions adding that "government has committed itself to extending electricity to all parts of the country by the end of the programme".

He said the ministry has drawn up further strategies and action plans aimed at rehabilitating deteriorated infrastructure, restoration of effective maintenance of generating plants, transmission and distribution equipment.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of solar energy technologies, the ministry has installed "solar photovoltaics" for the provision of electricity to 10 villages in the Volta, Eastern and Upper West regions.

Thirteen villages in the East Mamprusi District have been earmarked for electrification under a global environment facility and the United Nations Development Programme.

Mr Ole Blicher-Olsen, Danish Ambassador to Ghana, said sufficient energy supply is a vital necessity for the development of all countries.

He said his government, through the Danish International Development Aid (DANIDA), will submit to the Ghanaian energy authorities a proposal for a long-term energy programme support based on principles and strategies for DANIDA's support.