The Board of Directors of the Nana Sir Ofori Atta I National Energy Quiz Competition has sanctioned the commencement of the 2020/2021 edition of the event.

The decision was taken at a special board meeting of the reconstitution of the board of directors with Ghana’s Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta assuming the chairmanship position of the six member governing board of directors.

Other members of the governing board include; Mr Ben Kwame Asante, Director of Petroleum Upstream of the Ministry of Energy, Mr Fred Oware, CEO of Bui Power, Ing Jonathan Amoako Baah, CEO of Gridco, Mr. Osei Mensah Prempeh, Managing Director of GOIL and Professor Amin Alhassan, Director General of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

This year’s competition is scheduled to commence in September and Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Star Awards, organizers of the event, Mr. Humphrey Tetteh said the 2020/2021 edition of the competition will involve the biggest number of participating schools yet with the winners set to be rewarded with the “biggest prize in Ghana’s quiz history.”

The programme is gradually gaining popularity among Senior High Schools and organizers are making it even bigger this year while fostering healthy academic rivalry among the schools.

Giving an insight into the new format for the competition, Mr. Tetteh said the event which will feature about 400 schools from the 16 regions of Ghana over a 12 week period will be broadcasted on Uniiq and Obonu FM and all regional GBC radio channels with the top 75 schools camped in Accra to compete in the finals.

A national media launch is also scheduled for the 1st week of September where balloting of the various schools for the competition will take place.

Additionally, this year's quiz is designed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 which advocates for affordable and clean energy and climate action respectively and in line with government’s ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda.

The competition has received the endorsement of President Akuffo Addo, with his commendation of the Governing Board members for successfully organizing the 2nd edition of the event with the assurance that as co-chair of the SDGs, he will be pleased to support the quiz to disseminate the goal 7 and 13 to Ghanaian students who are more likely to be impacted with the energy revolution.

The Nana Sir Ofori Atta I National Energy Quiz is not only a quiz competition but a cultural institution that sometimes possesses the spirit of its believers to excel in whatever they do.

From a humble beginning of just five schools in 2018 in the New Juaben Municipal with Koforidua Secondary Technical School, Pope John and Nana Oti Boateng placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, the NEQ in 2019 featured 82 schools.

Nkwatia Presby Senior High emerged winners at the 2nd edition of the event with Asamankese SHS and Oyoko Methodist SHS placing second and third respectively.

The competition which is designed to empower Senior High and Technical Schools with knowledge in the entire energy value chain including petroleum upstream and downstream, power generation, transmission and distribution, will focus on Power, Petroleum, Nuclear and Culture.

The National Energy Quiz is sponsored by the Ghana Oil Company Limited, Ghana Grid Company Limited, the Energy Commission, Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana National Gas Company Limited and the Petroleum Commission.

The annual competition is run under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Energy and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and is organized by the Eastern Star Awards Co. Limited.