We have been able to do this within the energy sector in Ghana and selected countries within the sub-region over the past few years, as a local Ghanaian firm. In the process, we have built the capacity of our local staff and leveraged relationships with member firms in the region to provide lasting and impactful solutions. We have taken steps to help resolve endemic challenges faced by energy sector entities, in their routine operations and to address novel challenges arising from technological advances, new regulatory requirements for operations in the sector, and the growing need to incorporate climate considerations, to name a few.

Examples;

In Ghana, the Deloitte team contributed to efforts by state-owned energy utilities to attain financial sustainability, when we validated the accuracy and reliability of the tariff revenue recorded by the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) Revenue/Collection Accounts. These efforts will help to facilitate an efficient, stable and reliable energy sector.

Championing women in the Ghanaian energy space, our team, contracted under the USAID-funded Power Africa Energy Sector Leadership Initiative, supported the advancement of women into leadership roles in the energy sector, equipping 34 women with essential management and leadership skills  to propel their careers forward. In the vein of supporting women in the field, the Ghana team also supported the training and certification of 44 wiring professionals, including 10 female wiring professionals within the Northern Region of Ghana where the electrification access rate continues to be the lowest in the country. This work was done in collaboration with the Energy Commission of Ghana. The 10 women represented an 80% increase in the number of women licensed to connect households to electricity, a role that is traditionally male dominated.

In Sierra Leone, our team worked to identify the institutional and employee gaps in the Ministry of Energy with respect to the execution of their mandate within the energy sector and delivery of the Rural Renewable Energy Programme (RREP). The team also developed the monitoring and evaluation strategy for the Ministry and provided the needed training and technical assistance to bridge the gaps identified.    

Our work in helping to provide local solutions to address local problems has not been restricted to the energy sector alone. In the agricultural sector, Deloitte Ghana has been managing the Liberia Agricultural Commercialization Fund (LACF), aimed at addressing financing and technical challenges faced by agribusinesses and farmer cooperatives. To date, we have effectively disbursed a total grant of USD 12.62 million, which is 40% of the total funds managed. We have successfully facilitated grant awards to 135 approved beneficiaries, contributing to mitigating the costs of investments in their subprojects, creating additional jobs and promoting agribusinesses and smallholder farmer linkages.

In collaborating with a local firm, Deloitte Ghana assisted Invest in Africa in facilitating market linkages for 75 businesses in Ghana. Female-led businesses constituted 30% of the total value of market linkages (about USD 39 million), and 74 businesses were also recommended for financing. Through this collaboration, we were able to improve 100 selected Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)' market access by reducing waste and improving the efficiency, quantity and quality of goods and services, increasing the SMEs’ market access opportunities, and establishing linkages to diversify their operations.

Our team at Deloitte Ghana will continue to progress the localisation agenda, helping local communities and entities progress in impactful areas such as Energy Access, Efficient Energy Usage, Public Financial Management, Fund Management, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Advisory, promoting productive uses of electricit and providing economic transformation and the benefits of electrification to communities, among others.