The Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Limited Company (BOST) won two prestigious awards at the Ghana Energy Awards seventh edition with its Managing Director, Mr. Edwin Alfred Provencal taking the highest honour.
Mr. Provencal was adjudged the Energy Personality of the Year with BOST emerging as the Petroleum Company of the Year at the event organised by the Energy Media Group (EMG) in Accra last Friday.
The prestigious Awards 2023 edition recognised a total of 34 individuals and companies with various honours for outstanding roles and contributions towards the growth of the country’s energy sector.
Interacting with media on the sidelines of the awards ceremony, Mr. Edwin Provencal praised the Board and Management team of BOST for their wonderful contributions towards turning around the company’s fortunes.
He gave the assurance that there will no turning back, and that state-owned enterprises have what it takes to be profitable as evidenced by the performance of BOST over the last couple of years.
In a related development, BOST also won the SSI Sustainability and Operational Excellence award at the Sustainability and Social Investments Awards held at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel on Friday.
The state-owned company has witnessed a remarkable turnaround under the able leadership of Mr. Edwin Provencal as it has received massive recognition on both the domestic and international fronts.
This year’s event was on the theme: ‘Ghana’s Energy Transition Framework: Sector Institutions as Building Blocks for the 2030 -2040 Targets.’
It has been endorsed by the Ministry of Energy and World Energy Council Ghana since 2017 and has been emphasising on different sector agencies’ strategic roles in achieving national energy transition objectives.
Akufo-Addo praises winners
Giving the keynote address at the event, President Nana Akufo-Addo said the theme, “resonates with me, because it touches the core of our very survival as a nation”.
He praised the entities and personalities who emerged winners for their wonderful contributions towards advancing the company’s energy sector, which is a major catalyst for any real economic progression.
President Akufo-Addo underscored the various sector institutions’ importance in realising the country’s energy transition targets, and called on industry stakeholders to commit themselves to government’s plans for an equitable transition that fully utilises Ghana’s natural energy sources and energy efficiency.
Ghana, he said, is a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change with some commitments.
“This means that we have committed ourselves to lowering our greenhouse emissions in respect to the effect of climate change, while ensuring that our development and the well-being of our people are not jeopardised.”
Accordingly, President Akufo-Addo said government has outdoored the Ghana Energy Transition Investment Plan that spells out a reasonable path for Ghana to attain net zero energy-related carbon emissions by 2060.
The plan, which he described as a living document, “will be reviewed regularly and evaluated to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to our changing circumstances and goals”.
According to him, the ambitious national framework is anticipated to require US$550billion over the next 40 years – about ten per cent of the country’s annual GDP.
Excellence and innovation
Chairman-GEA Awards panel, Lawyer Kwame Jantuah, explained that the theme for this year’s event, chosen in consultation with the ministry, is a reflection of the country’s energy focus for the coming decades; and assured that the Ghana Energy Awards will support the transition process.
Meanwhile, Event Director-GEA, Henry Teinor, noted that the awards initiative aims to recognise the excellence and innovations of individuals and organisations who are shaping Ghana’s energy sector.
The event’s platform, he added, further promotes the industry’s operations for an overall improvement in the national economy.
Winners
The 2023 GEA featured 24 competitive categories and seven honours in the non-competitive section. At its climax, the Managing Director-Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) bagged the coveted Energy Personality of the Year award in the male category; while Pecan Energies Ghana Chief Executive Officer, Kadijah Amoah, took the same apex award in the female category.
Chief Executive-Ghana National Gas Company, Dr. Ben K. D. Asante emerged CEO of the Year in the Petroleum category; with the Managing Director-Electricity Company of Ghana, Kwame Agyeman-Budu, taking the same award in the Power category.
In the non-competitive section, the Energy Commission’s former Executive Secretary, Dr. Alfred Ofosu-Ahenkorah, received the Lifetime Achievement honour; while CEO-Liberia Electricity Corporation, Monie R. Captan, was bestowed with the West Africa Leadership Excellence award.
