Eni operations in Ghana to conform to SDGs
Adnan Adams Mohammed
Eni Ghana has reinforced commitment to help promote the renewable energy agenda in Ghana and Africa at large.
This is targeted at meeting three goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically; SDG 7 which is on affordable and clean energy, SDG 13 which is on climate actions and SDG 15 also on land management and re-/or afforestation.
These are to be achieved with UNDP and Eni combined expertise, ability to innovate, and on-the ground network.
This was contained in a statement issued by Eni after a meeting between President Akufo-Addo and the CEO of Eni, Claudio Descalzi to discuss Eni’s operational activities in Ghana.
The meeting also looked at the frontrunner role Ghana can play in the partnership Eni recently signed with UNDP.
The partnership seeks to combine efforts on the development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, forestry and clean cooking initiatives, starting in Africa.
The release indicated that, “improving access to energy, especially in Africa, is core to Eni’s values, and it is an intrinsic part of the Company’s business.”
Eni invests more than half of its budget in Africa, boosting the domestic potential and promoting local development,’ it added.
Again, Eni noted that the US$7billion investment in the integrated OCTP project represents its firm commitment to providing long term domestic gas supply.
Ghana’s OCTP project will deliver stable, secure, reliable, and affordable volumes of gas to feed Ghana’s power plants for over 20 years.
The use of domestic gas will allow Ghana to cut the use of liquid fuel, reducing CO2 emissions by 30%, and to limit the more expensive gas importation, whose entire value chain lies outside the country.
Also, Eni has destined over US$15million to an extensive program of sustainability initiatives including economic diversification education, water and sanitation, and health activities, and is engaged in the development of solar power projects in the Country including off grid installations in remote areas and floating solar farms.
In the framework of the partnership signed between Eni and UNDP, a first area that will be developed together is a REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) initiative.
Community based activities will be proposed in order to increase agricultural productivity, introduce agroforestry schemes, and generate revenue from non timber forest products contributing to the diversification and development of the local economy.
Eni has been present in Ghana since 2009 through its subsidiary Eni Ghana.
Eni is Operator of the OCTP Integrated Oil & Gas Development Project (Eni 44.44%, Vitol 35.56%, GNPC 20%).