• An evolutionary study of production of electricity in Ghana (1900 – 1960)

    Author(s):
    Samuel Adu-Gyamfi (see profile) , Kwasi Amakye-Boateng, Dennis Awuah, Richard Oware, Stephen Quansah
    Date:
    2020
    Group(s):
    Science and Technology Studies (STS)
    Subject(s):
    Science--Study and teaching, Technology--Study and teaching, Social sciences, Interdisciplinary approach in education, Humanities--Study and teaching, Technology, History
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Electric Power, History of electricity, Humanities, Science and technology studies (STS), Interdisciplinary humanities studies, History of technology
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/hzy8-mw96
    Abstract:
    The literature on the history of electricity production have studied the evolution of electricity in both developed and developing countries and its impact on their economies. Some have laid foundations upon which other works are carried out. A close examination of historiography and multidisciplinary research on electricity production in Ghana shows that more efforts are required to improve the electric power landscape in Ghana. From the colonial era, the increasing demand for electricity has been the biggest challenge plaguing the energy sector. Respective governments have made significant strides in ensuring reliable and universal access to electricity throughout Ghana, yet such efforts have been accompanied by different levels of challenges. The study uses a qualitative and exploratory research approach to trace the activities that helped, in many other ways to the creation of a sustainable electric power provision to household and industry in Ghana, particularly in two of Ghana’s cities; Accra and Kumasi, within the period 1900 to the1960s. The work focused mainly on archival sources in its quest to arrive at how indigenous Ghanaians provided power for industrial activities and for household purposes. Results from the study show that local and cottage industries relied predominantly on wood, fuel, and biomass for their operations even before the introduction of the more sophisticated means of power generation. Also, the study revealed that in finding solutions to the challenges of electricity production, policymakers have focused more on current issues with little or no effort to trace the historical foundation of electricity production. This notwithstanding, the little efforts that have been made examined the history of energy production, with a limited focus on the immediate post-independence era.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Publisher:
    State University of Infrastructure and Technologies
    Pub. Date:
    June 2020
    Journal:
    History of Science and Technology
    Volume:
    10
    Issue:
    1(16)
    Page Range:
    10 - 33
    ISSN:
    E-ISSN 2415-7430, Print ISSN 2415-7422
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    3 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
    Share this:

    Downloads

    Item Name: pdf history-of-electricity-6.pdf
      Download View in browser
    Activity: Downloads: 146

    Back to Deposits