The Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, said at the 9th National Energy Symposium on Energy and Sustainable development in the Era of 'Ghana Beyond Aid' as part of a fifth Ghana Renewable Energy Fair.

The four-day event is on the theme: "Opportunities for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in a Constrained Energy Sector".

The Fair is a platform for the dissemination of information on renewable energy and energy efficiency aimed at enhancing consultation between academia, government representatives, decision-makers, private sector operators, project financiers and consumers.

It is also to inform people about the latest renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, technology, innovation and future prospects in the industry.

He said efficient and sustainable energy was a key driving force in Ghana's industrialisation agenda, indicating that, government was working to ensure that energy costs were not beyond what Ghanaians could afford.

Speaking on the significance of the theme, the Minister said the attainment of Ghana Beyond Aid depended on sustainable and efficiency, adding that, energy power and fuel were key driving forces of Ghana's sustainable development.

"It is a well-known fact that energy is a key enabler of economic growth and development. No country that has developed has done so without reliable and affordable energy. In our own case, the economy recorded the slowest growth during the period of 'dumsor', with manufacturing growth being negative at the height of 'dumsor'," he said.

However, Mr Adu-Boahen said the attainment of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda would be based on the collective efforts of both state and non-state actors.

He said the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda was underpinned by five broad goals- wealth, inclusive, sustainable, empowered, and a resilient Ghana.

The National Energy Symposium, initiated by the Ministry of Energy and the Energy Commission, has been a platform on which energy policies and strategies are discussed and recommended.

From 1987, the symposium was a biennial energy event of the energy sector until the late 1990s. The series resumed in 2007 but the next symposium planned in 2009 had to be called off.