Tema-Ghana, Nov. 19, GNA – Mr Bayaornibè Dabire, Director of Energy and Mines, ECOWAS Commission, said the supply of sustainable energy is critical to the development of the ECOWAS Sub-region.
“To this end, we must attract the best skills in the energy sector to contribute to the achievement of this objective,” Mr Dabire stated at the launch of a Sustainable Energy for Post-Graduate Students in West Africa scholarship programme, aimed at building the capacity of young professionals in the West African energy sector.
The Energy Sector Scholarship Programme launched at the ECOWAS Headquarters, in Abuja, Nigeria, is an initiative of the ECOWAS Commission and the European Union and forms part of efforts to ensure sustainable access for the people of West Africa to clean energy and electricity.
Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner of Human Development and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, stated the issue of energy was very important, especially at the level of education.
“It is also important that the presence of women is captured to benefit from these scholarships.
“A big step has just been taken, but efforts must also be made towards countries that do not have the British Council on their territory and to always strengthen the presence of women in this scholarship selection programme,” Prof Sarr noted.
Cecile Tassin-Pelzer, Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS stated that: “Human capital development is the means and Green Energy Transition the goal.
“EU joins forces with ECOWAS to pursue their common aspiration. This is the aim of this Scholarships Programme”.
Mr Alex Lambert, Country Director, British Council Senegal, said the British Council would leverage its extensive experience in scholarship management and higher education institution partnerships across Sub-Saharan Africa to ensure a successful programme and outcomes.
“We are particularly excited that the overall objective of the EU for this programme complements the long-standing work of the British Council to enhance human capital development by improving access to high-quality training, skills development, and employability for young people in West Africa,”Mr Lambert stated.
Mr. Sédiko Douka, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization, described the scholarship programme as evidence of the keen interest that the Commission had in the nexus of education and universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.
“We remain convinced that through real investment in Education and research our region will have the required manpower capable of efficiently and effectively managing in the energy sector: renewable energy, regulation, and research in solar and wind systems,” he said.
The scholarship programme was initiated by the ECOWAS Commission and European Union through the 11th EDF Energy Governance Programme in West Africa (AGoSE-AO), for students from the ECOWAS member states and Mauritania.
