The second lady of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Samira Bawumia, was the special guest of honour at the just-ended Gas Challenge competition organized by the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC). The theme for this year’s competition was Embracing the Future Together: The Indispensable Role of Gas in Facilitating Socio-Economic Growth and Development.

Her Excellency commended the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) for its efforts to create a platform through which relevant industry stakeholders and students in Ghanaian tertiary institutions would understand and highlight issues in the gas industry. She also applauded the company for its effort in providing cost-competitive natural gas and gas-based products for domestic markets, including the development of petrochemical industries, fertilizer, power generation, and export markets.

She indicated that one major challenge the world faces today is the lack of access to energy, thereby affecting health, limiting opportunities and widening the inequality gap, which can be curbed through the use of clean sources of energy. She emphasized the need for Ghana to set the pace by positioning herself strategically as a leader in the production of clean energy in the overarching context of a just and equitable energy transition.

The second lady was pleased with the initiative by the GNGC, which seeks to bridge the gap between academia and industry as well as empower and inform critical stakeholder groups about gas-related issues. She was in full support of the company providing national service opportunities for the contestants and entreated everyone present to continue supporting the Gas Challenge to sustain it.

In concluding her speech, she encouraged the students to take advantage of opportunities made available, keep learning and be innovative to ensure that they achieve great things for themselves and the nation.