Minister of State for Special Initiatives, Abdul‑Rashid Pelpuo, urged Wa Technical Institute to boost the enrolment of girls in renewable energy courses at the launch of a new solar photovoltaic training facility on Thursday. The €17 million project, part of the EU‑Ghana Pact for Skills, is aimed at bridging the gap between classroom learning and practical skills for the green economy.
Pelpuo said the success of the lab would be measured not just by the equipment installed but by the competence of graduates and their ability to secure decent work. “We are not simply opening a facility, commissioning equipment. We are strengthening the link between technical education, the green transition and the opportunity for decent work,” he said.
The minister highlighted that women and girls must not be excluded from the emerging renewable energy sector, noting that technical trades have traditionally been male dominated. He urged the institute and its partners to take deliberate steps to increase female participation through targeted outreach, career guidance and an inclusive learning environment.
Principal Seidu Saaka Adams welcomed the facility, saying it would finally allow students to work with real solar equipment. “For a long time, we were teaching solar with no solar equipment. This lab changes everything,” he said.
EU Pact for Skills team leader Gisela Spreitzhofer and ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone Dr Vanessa Phala‑Moyo noted that the project’s success depends on more than equipment – it requires a comprehensive value chain, including curriculum support, instructor development and digital connectivity.
Pelpuo called for ongoing monitoring of the lab’s utilisation and for the training to align with employer needs. He warned that underused equipment or graduates struggling to find work would prompt a review of the relationship between training and the labour market.
The new facility will provide hands‑on instruction in site assessment, installation, safety standards, performance testing, maintenance and troubleshooting, and aims to strengthen practical solar training as demand for renewable energy skills grows across Ghana.
