Benjamin Boakye is an Energy Governance Professional and the Executive Director at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy.

Prior to Becoming the Executive Director, he served as the Deputy Executive Director, Programmes Director and Operations Director, managing the Research Unit and the Programmes Unit.

He has made contributions to the extractive sector governance in Ghana and in Africa, with much focus on corporate governance, institutional development, fiscal governance, contract governance and the evolution of legal framework for the effective management of extractive resources. He has also consulted for the World Bank Group, UNDP, and many research institutions in the resource sector.

Benjamin has delivered presentations at various international conferences on the extractive sector, particularly on revenue generation and expenditure. He works with host communities, analyzing the communities’ issues relative to the development of extractives’ projects and revenue redistribution. He also has extensive experience on power sector reforms.

Benjamin holds an MSc. from the University of Dundee, UK in Energy Studies and BA (Hons.) in Sociology with Information Studies from the University of Ghana.

Prior to joining ACEP, Kodzo was a Program Assistant, Policy Influencing and Advocacy at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).

His research interests include Natural Resource for Inclusive Growth and Development, Sustainable Energy Access and Political Economy of Resource Management.

He holds a Masters in Economic Policy Management from the University of Ghana.

He has significant experience in program conceptualization, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. He also has adequate research experience.

Prior to joining ACEP, Theophilus worked as a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer at the Ghana Oil and Gas for Inclusive Growth (GOGIG) and as a programs officer with COLANDEF. Theophilus holds a Master of Science degree in Development Planning and Policy with specialization in Economic Policy and Planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Charles’ research interests include risk mitigation and investment decisions on utility-scale and small-scale renewable energy technologies in Africa. Beyond energy transition, he has worked on several projects in the extractive industry, including natural gas demand and supply dynamics in Ghana, local participation in the oil and gas sector, local labour absorption in Ghana’s extractive industry, and gender-responsive budgeting in mining-affected communities.

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Finance, Master’s degree in Operations Management, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Ghana.

Maybel is an extractive and energy professional with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics, from the University of Ghana. She leads the implementation of multi-donor projects in the energy and extractive industries on behalf of ACEP.

Her interest areas include optimizing extractive resources for inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development in Africa, promoting gender diversity in natural resource governance, and the differential impact of the energy transition on citizens.

Nana Akuamoah Darteh holds a BSc. in Business Administration and ABE/UK Business Management Advanced Diploma/Postgraduate.

Before joining ACEP in 2015, Nana was a Teaching Assistant with the Accounting Department at Pentecost University College.

Nana specializes in inventory management, budgeting, customer service management and transactions monitoring when it comes to developing projects. He has a wealth of experience in financial reporting and possesses strong analytical skills that has made him valuable to the ACEP team.

Most importantly, he is a visionary. He has the ability to see what others cannot see. His advantage has always been the ability to have a picture in his mind of exactly the result ACEP intends to achieve.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce (Accounting), George is currently pursuing an MBA degree in Oil and Gas Management at the University of Cape Coast. He had his National Service at the Department of Finance – University of Cape Coast, as an Administrative Assistant. He also worked as an Assistant Supply Officer at the Abura-Dunkwa District Hospital.

Eliasu is an Alumnus of the Next Generation Resource Governance Leaders Program at ACEP and a Lead for Ghana Alumnus.

Prior to joining ACEP, he served as the founding Head of STEM and Sustainability at EduSpots.

His research interests include renewable energy techno-economic feasibility analysis and lifecycle assessment, energy efficiency and demand response strategies.

Derrick is an alumnus of the ACEP Next Generation Resource Governance Leaders Program (Cohort 1) and a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Fellow.

Prior to joining ACEP, he worked as an Administrative Assistant at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and Research Assistant with Estopel Research Consult.

Derrick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with Information Studies from the University of Ghana, Legon.

Anne-Marie is an alumna of the Next Generation Resource Governance Leaders Program at ACEP. She holds bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management  from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi-Ghana.

She is passionate about research, climate change, energy resource management and development and livelihood improvement. Her interest revolves around  climate action, reduced inequalities, and the attainment of affordable and clean energy.

Deborah holds a Diploma in Statistics, with proven data collection, analysis, and office administrative skills.

Before joining ACEP, she worked at Bureau of Market and Social Research (MSR) as a Data Analyst, Vodafone Ghana as an Inventory Officer, and Ghana Revenue Authority as a Field Officer.

Roselyn previously worked as a Treasury and Tax Analyst during her National Service with Tullow Ghana Limited. Her interests are research, policy analysis, policy advocacy, and promoting gender equality and good governance. She is also enthusiastic about promoting the interest, rights and welfare of women and children in society. Roselyn holds a master’s in social policy studies and research from the University of Ghana.

Gifty holds an MPhil in Finance from the University of Ghana Business School. She also has an Advanced Anti Money Laundering and Financial Crime Investigation certificate from the Enterprise Risk Management Institute.

Prior to joining ACEP, she worked as a Teaching Assistant with the Finance department at the University of Ghana Business School. She also interned with the Card Services and Human Resource departments at Ecobank PLC.

Betty is a Land Economist and a development planning professional with a Master of Science degree in Development Policy and Planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. She is enthusiastic about policy research, policy advocacy, individual and institutional capacity building, and social and economic development.

Before joining ACEP, Betty worked as a Program Officer (Land Administration and Estate Management Services) with VEKSTRAT Company Limited and as a Program Officer with Community Land and Development Foundation. She is working to develop her expertise in the renewable energy space and contribute to meaningful conversations on climate action, energy transition and the extractive industry.

Rosemond holds a bachelor’s in environmental science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Before joining ACEP, she worked as a research assistant at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) head office in Accra. Keenly interested in the sustainability of the environment, Rosemond hopes to contribute more to research and policy advocacy towards responsible natural resource extraction that minimizes ecological damage and ensures the protection of biodiversity.

Derek is a Creative Designer and Marketer. He holds a bachelor of arts Degree in Political Science and Russian. He also has a background in Brand Management and Data Analytics.

Prior to joining ACEP, he co-founded a creative marketing agency – Brand100 Global Ltd., that aims to transform startups into global brands and has since consulted for many thriving startups. He also served as a Digital Assistant at the Education Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces for his national service and as a Head of Digital Media at Destiny Worldwide Ministries.

He is deeply interested in climate action, renewable energy, food security, and youth capacity development.

His primary drive is to help people discover their God-given purpose while providing the basic needs to achieve them.

Penelope holds a bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science from KNUST. She completed her National Service at StarLife Assurance. She has also previously interned with Allianz Life and Best Point Insurance.

Her strong interest lies in resource governance within the energy sector, with a specific focus on the financial and economic dimensions. She is an avid data enthusiast who derives great satisfaction from utilizing data to extract valuable insights and inform decision-making processes.

Penelope is dedicated to addressing the issue of energy poverty and aspires to pursue a career as an Energy Economist.

Howard is a budding sustainable development advocate keen on climate justice and the just energy transition. He is a lawyer by professional training with a speciality in Environmental Law & Policy. Howard is the Chairperson of the European Union Youth Sounding Board – Uganda and the Head – Energy & Climate Action Section at the SDGs Academy Uganda. He believes the youth can and do play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our world and considers it a generational mandate, unwaveringly committed to its pristine execution.

Charity holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Professional Studies Accra. As a United Nations Volunteer through the Global Waste Cleaning Network, she has supported advocacy interventions on Climate Action under SDG 13 in West Africa. Serving as Programs Assistant with the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre, she garnered experience in programs implementation specific to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and its related instruments. She doubles as Company Secretary for Lergeshire Helenson Incorporated as well as Guava Markets Incorporated, where she provides compliance services. She aspires to be a Lawyer contributing to inclusive economic development and policy in Africa.

Fwangshak is a Chemical/petroleum technician from the Department of Science Laboratory Technology at the University of Jos, Nigeria. As an educator, he served as a global schools advocate for the UNSDSN Global Schools Program and has volunteered for two years as a researcher and content developer for the Precious Rubies-Elegal Foundation. Fwangshak is also one of the 24 members of the Nigerian Youth Task Team (NYTT) and has advocated for the equitable economic recovery of Nigeria from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

His experience as a researcher and chemical/petroleum scientist exposed him to the gaps in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, and he has leveraged various platforms to advocate for transparency and accountability in the Nigerian extractive sector.

Fwangshak believes that the sustainable development of Africa is directly proportional to how the resources in the extractive sector are efficiently harnessed and utilized. Hence the need for robust resource governance.

Merlene Amonde has a legal background from the University of Nairobi School of Law. Her academic journey has been marked by a profound interest in International Economic Law, particularly with a sharp focus on debt-related issues and their far-reaching implications on global development. Furthermore, her dedication extends to scrutinising the International Taxation framework and assessing its suitability in catering to the unique needs of developing countries.

Merlene’s commitment to these intricate subjects was honed during her internship under The African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, where she actively contributed to research on debt dynamics and meticulously analyzed fiscal management policies across diverse jurisdictions. Her time at the Committee on Fiscal Studies exposed her to the tutelage of esteemed Senior Researchers, fostering a deep passion for international taxation, illicit financial flows, and the intricate web of fiscal policy.

Merlene is excited to further enrich her experience as a Next Generation Resource Leader at ACEP. She is poised to understand the nexus between the extractive sector, addressing African countries’ debt burdens, and enhancing economic linkage creation within this sector to promote sustainable domestic resource mobilization. She aspires to be a catalyst for positive change in the African legal and socio-economic landscape, leveraging her knowledge and skills to drive progress in these critical areas.

Saani holds a Master of Philosophy in Geophysics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Prior to joining the NextGen Program at ACEP, he was a research intern with the Water Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). He is interested in applying scientific technologies to address policy challenges in the extractive industry. He has research experience in oil and gas exploration, remote sensing and gravity methods, hydrogeology, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) expertise.

Precious is an energy professional with three years of experience in the sector. She holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Benin, Benin City and is an Enertracks Alumna. Precious’s research interests are focused on critical areas of the energy sector, including electricity access, renewable energy technologies, climate governance and the political economy of the decentralized renewable sector. Her expertise in these areas allows her to take a comprehensive approach to promoting sustainable solutions.

George is an emerging economist interested in revenue and contract governance in the extractive and energy sectors. He desires to become a policy expert to ensure the optimization of revenue generation and the effective utilization of the revenue generated from the energy and extractive resources in a transparent and accountable manner for sustainable socio-economic development of resource-rich Africa.