The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has revealed that 77% of Ghanaian households continue to rely on primary fuels such as charcoal and firewood for cooking, underscoring a major challenge in the country’s transition to cleaner energy solutions.
The finding was announced at the launch of the 2024 Ghana Social Development Outlook report, which assesses the effectiveness of key policy interventions across sectors including health, education, energy, housing, and governance from 2022 to 2024.
Despite some improvements between 2008 and 2022, ISSER noted that only 28.7% of households in Ghana currently use clean energy for cooking, a figure that reflects the slow progress in clean fuel adoption.
Dr. Martha Awo, Head of ISSER’s Social Division, presented the report’s findings, explaining that although the use of wood and charcoal has slightly declined over the years, the pace of change is slowing.
Between 2014 and 2022, the rate of transition to clean cooking solutions increased at a slower pace compared to the 2008 to 2014 period.
The report draws attention to significant disparities between urban and rural areas. While 45% of urban households have adopted clean energy sources like gas and electricity, only 11% of rural households have made the shift.
Urbanised regions such as Greater Accra and Ashanti are leading in clean fuel use, whereas northern regions continue to lag behind, primarily due to socioeconomic and infrastructural constraints.
Dr. Awo warned of the serious health implications associated with the continued use of traditional fuels. “The widespread reliance on charcoal and firewood, particularly in rural areas, is contributing to a rise in respiratory infections, cardiovascular diseases, and other health complications,” she said.
She called for stronger government action to accelerate Ghana’s transition to clean cooking energy, stressing the need for targeted public awareness campaigns and investment in research to develop locally appropriate and affordable clean energy technologies.
“Access, affordability, and awareness remain the biggest barriers, with evidence-based, targeted policies, Ghana can move closer to achieving universal access to clean and safe cooking energy,” Dr. Awo said.
