Mainstreaming sustainable development goals in Ghana’s energy sector within the framework of public–private partnerships: challenges, opportunities and strategies

Purpose- This paper is anchored in a premise of a universal call to action by all United Nations member states in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030 within the blueprint of the sustainable development goals. the purpose of this research is to explore exploration of challenges, opportunities and strategies for mainstreaming sustainable development goals in Ghana’s energy sector within the framework of public-private partnerships Design/methodology/approach- Literature review was carried out to explore concepts, theories, and frameworks for initiating Public-Private-Partnerships. Best local and international practices in the implementation of PPP projects; challenges and opportunities in the implementation of PPP projects, strategies for mainstreaming the sustainable development goals in Ghana’s energy sector, and assess business action in the implementation of the sustainable development goals in Ghana’s energy sector. The study is situated within the social constructionist philosophical tradition. The qualitative research strategy was adopted as the main methodological choice. Interview guides were used to collect data from respondents in the Accra metropolis. Eighteen (18) questionnaires were distributed and ten (10) retrieved out of the number representing a response rate of 56 percent. A thematic analysis technique was adopted to analyze the data. Findings- The lack of a PPP policy and law in Ghana, issues of conflict of interest in PPP projects, excessive government control over projects, cumbersome licensing and legal regime, and the general economic stability of the country were the most significant challenges identified to PPPs. However, opportunities identified were technology transfer, efficiency gains, and mobilization of additional resources for development on the government side whereas the opportunities for the private sector lie in creating new niches for themselves, becoming market leaders, and enhancing their brand reputation as well as profits. Awareness creation and education for companies, making business models inclusive, linking CSR with SDGs, exploring business opportunities in SDGs such as carbon trading, etc., aligning national policies with SDGs, establishing a sustainability unit in energy companies and forming effective partnerships with relevant bodies were the strategies proposed for mainstreaming the SDGs in Ghana’s energy sector. Research limitation- It was established from this study that indeed PPPs have a major role to play in unleashing all available forces and prospects towards achieving the SDGs. The findings of this research will serve as a guide to policymakers, the private sector, and development partners helping them identify the most effective strategies and avenues for implementing the SDGs especially in the context of the energy sector. This paper is constrained to the energy industry in Ghana. It provides a theory-based direction on how companies in the energy sector can contribute to social and economic interventions through a framework of PPP framework within the SGDs. Future research may explore how companies in other sectors may contribute to the sustainability discourse. Practical Implication- This will ultimately lead to additional funding to support government efforts in the implementation of SDGs, honing of sustainable (inclusive) business models, creating an enabling environment for PPPs towards inclusive growth and national development leaving no one behind. It recommended that there should be a national policy and law on PPPs and the private sector should be incentivized to engage government in PPPs implementation for the SDGs. Theoretically, this research contributes to the policy analysis discourse and scaling-up literature on the SDGs. Originality/value- This research explores the challenges associated with mainstreaming the SGDs in the energy sector from a public-private business perspective. It also offers a new policy, economic, and legal regulatory framework that contributes to emerging trends. The outcome of the analyses advocates for clear business strategies for implementation of the SDG apart from corporate social responsibilities (CSR).