No Power supply to buildings not wire by ‘certified’ Electricians

Victor Owusu, P.R Manager

The Energy Commission has disclosed that effective February next year, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) will not extend power supply to any building which has not been wired by the commission’s certified electricians.

The move, according to a Senior Programme Officer in-charge of Technical Regulations at the Commission, Mr Solomon Sarpong, is to ensure that standard electrical fittings such as cables and switches are used to properly wire the facilities, in order to curb power leakages as well as to avert firebreaks.

He said ‘poor electrical wiring contributes to energy losses at home and a major cause of the numerous fire outbreaks in recent times’ hence the commission’s decision to begin certifying professional electricians to avert the situation.

Mr Sarpong who was speaking in Ho during the Commission’s “SAVE A WATT”, campaign, urged persons who would require the services of such certified electricians to contact the commission or any ECG offices across the country.

The nationwide campaign which was launched in June this year is geared towards sensitizing consumers on the need to conserve energy as a means of reducing the annual electricity demand of 10-15 percent, which has resulted in the current energy crisis facing the country.

Mr Victor Owusu, Public Affairs Manager of the Energy Commission on his part noted that sustainability of country’s energy sector depends on the commitment of electricity consumers towards energy conservation practices.

He said ‘energy generation is expensive, and electricity pricing will not come down’ hence  the conservation campaign towards changing the wasteful use of electricity by households, offices and   businesses, energy inefficient electrical appliances and unprofessional wiring of buildings.

He noted that the ‘off your freezer’ campaign embarked on by the commission during the 2014 world cup season yielded significant result, as demand on the national grid was reduced by 70 megawatts during the period.

Mr Owusu also observed that leaving the lights on, in and around kiosks and containers on week-ends constitutes a significant drain on the national electricity grid.

He further stated the Commission aims at inculcating the habit of energy conservation among children, so that when they become adults, they will adopt energy conservation measures.

The acting Volta Regional Director of the ECG, Mr Robert Amewuda, said energy conservation was not about affordability of the utility by consumers, but rather that it be fairly available to every consumer.