Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy, on Tuesday called for private participation in the energy sector in the development of new production capacity and re-capitalisation of the infrastructure.

This, he said, was essential to re-direct government's resources currently used on the sector to other equally important areas such as education and health.

Mr Kan-Dapaah was speaking at a two-day workshop for women in energy sector organised by Management Support Services, a Consultancy firm, in conjunction with the Ministry to broaden their outlook.

It would also address the barriers militating against women's advancement at the workplace and the society at large.

Participants were drawn from the Ministry, Volta River Authority, Electricity Company of Ghana, GOIL, Tema Oil Refinery, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and Energy Commission.

Mr Kan-Dapaah stressed the need to strengthen and ensure an effective regulatory environment, promote the increased use of indigenous energy resources and minimise the environmental impacts in the supply and use of energy.

"I am, however, under no illusion that a solid macroeconomic and legal framework is a sine qua non for private entry into the sector."

He asked the participants to identify issues that impeded their progress and come up with possible solutions to them.

Mr Stanley Quarcopome Barnor, Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Energy, said public education on the energy sector was yet to get its full coverage and urged the participants to carry the message to their various workplaces.

Topics to be discussed included; "The Energy Sector Issues And Challenges"; "The Role Of The Energy Commission"; "Energy Efficiency And Conservation"; "Opportunity And Challenges For The Working Woman: The Way forward" and "Stress and Time Management."