Ghana is set to commence on a mega initiative of constructing the largest solar farm in Africa.This is according to the Chief Executive Officer of UBI Group, Salma Okonkwo, who announced plans to build it with an aim to to expand the company’s’ reach in Ghana’s energy industry. The oil and gas firm’s CEO intends to develop the solar farm dubbed Blue Power Energy by March 2019, and to produce approximately 100MW of energy.
Blue Power Energy
Blue Power Energy will focus on renewable energy, steering away from UBI Group’s downstream petroleum operations. The company has set the goal to eventually provide the national grid with 100% renewable energy in order to make cities more sustainable. Okonkwo’s ultimate goal is to bring cheap energy to northern Ghana through the solar farm, which she hopes will incentivize companies to create lasting jobs there. In the meantime, she is opening a day-care center in Accra for children born to kayayo women, where, as she explains, they can get educated and hopefully break the cycle. “I want to bring support to my people in the north,” Okonkwo says. “Then there will be more Salma’s all over the place.” UBI Group is the first indigenous, fully integrated firm in the West African sub-region, and one of few companies to have a female CEO.