Tarkwa: Professor Christian Kwaku Amuzuvi, Head of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), has made a compelling call to action for the government to eliminate all taxes on solar panels and their accessories. The move, he argues, would significantly enhance affordability and facilitate Ghana's transition towards green energy.
According to Ghana News Agency, Professor Amuzuvi emphasized that removing tax components would lower system-level costs, making residential solar panels more accessible and aiding the country's green energy transition. Addressing attendees at the 13th Professorial Inaugural Lecture at UMaT in Tarkwa, Prof. Amuzuvi, who also chairs the Governing Council of the Takoradi Technical University (TTU), highlighted the urgency of this initiative.
He articulated the topic of his lecture, 'Driving the Green Energy Transition: Translating Ghana's LPG Adoption Model to Residential Rooftop Solar PV Systems,' by discussing the slow pace of Ghana's renewable electricity decentralization. Chronic power shortages plagued the nation, and a recent analysis in the Accra East Region showed deficits of 8.33% in the commercial sector and 2.19% in residential areas, with additional shortfalls in special load tariffs.
Prof. Amuzuvi noted that these figures demonstrated an urgent need for targeted interventions. Solar PV systems, he suggested, offered a technically viable solution through structural reforms to make them affordable for all Ghanaians. However, he pointed out that affordability is not solely determined by engineering design but also by import duties, Valued Added Tax (VAT), and regulatory levies within the supply chain.
He passionately argued that removing all taxes on solar panels and accessories is essential for Ghanaians to adopt their use, which would help reduce the nation's carbon footprint. Prof. Amuzuvi urged the government to embark on a vigorous National Residential Rooftop Solar PV Promotion Drive, similar to the successful adoption of the LPG model in the past.
In addition to environmental benefits, Prof. Amuzuvi highlighted that the proposed tax elimination would bolster the solar PV industry and create sustainable jobs for engineering youth, who face increasing frustration due to limited opportunities.