The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been engaged by the United Nations Development Organization (UNIDO) to assist the government of Sao Tome and Principe (STP) to develop a low carbon emissions plan for its transport sector.

The agreement, signed by Prof Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice Chancellor (for KNUST) and Atushi Isoyama (for UNIDO) enables experts at The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre, KNUST (College of Engineering) to work with various stakeholders in STP over a 10-month period. The assignment is jointly implemented with pManifold Ltd of India (a consulting firm).

Following the signing of the agreement a team at The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre (and p-Manifold) has been working with agencies of country’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Natural Resources (MIRN), Ministry of Planning, Finance and Blue Economy (MPFEA) and other stakeholders to lay out an ambitious and yet realistic plan and pathway towards reduction in emissions from the transport sector.

The task includes (among others) a characterization of the current fleet in STP, a review of current vehicle importation trends, fuel quality standards, vehicle related policies and infrastructure. Two baseline studies will be produced, one on fuel economy and another on electric mobility. This will be followed by a roadmap for the adoption of measures for improved fuel economy and the uptake of electric mobility on the island. Fuel quality and emissions standards will also be developed as part of the assignment. The consortium will also provide training for key institutions and stakeholders in STP.

Provost of the College of Engineering, Prof Kwabena B. Nyarko expressed his delight at the opportunity for KNUST to share its rich expertise with other African nations. He observed that the College is currently supporting the Government of The Gambia in the development of its engineering programmes at the newly founded University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET).

The project at STP is led by Dr Godwin Kafui Ayetor, a Fellow of the Centre (also a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, KNUST) and one of Ghana's leading experts in e-mobility and transport. The team includes Dr. David Ato Quansah and Prof Joseph Oppong Akowuah, both Fellows of the Centre. The Centre’s Fellows have recently provided expertise to the Energy Commission of Ghana in the preparation of the Ghana Electric Vehicles Baseline Survey Report under its Drive Electric Initiative (DEI-Gh) and also assisted the Ghana Standards Authority with the development of standards for electric vehicle charging systems in the country.

As the world progresses towards carbon neutrality, the transport sectors in many countries are putting in place measures to assess and reduce their carbon footprint in line with national and global targets.

The technical assistance to STP is part of a GCF (Green Climate Fund)-funded programme titled “Building institutional capacity for a renewable energy and energy efficiency investment programme for São Tomé and Príncipe”.