|
| Ghana To Ban Importation Of Used Fridges And TV Sets |
9/11/2011 |
|
The government, through Ghana’s Energy Commission, the regulator of the Energy sector from 1st January, 2013, will completely ban used refrigerators and air-conditioners from coming into the country.
While used television (TV) sets and electric irons will also be banned from the country, the Executive Secretary of Energy Commission, Dr. Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah has disclosed. He explained that some second-hand TV sets with standby mode consume about 10 watts of electricity, stressing that the commission and other stakeholders in the energy sector want Ghana to be free from electronic wastes.
We are working gradually to develop guidelines for the importation of TV sets and others. Ghana will soon become no dumping ground for second-hand electronic products, Dr. Ahenkorah emphasised.
A board member of the Energy Commission, Charles Kofi Wayo, who read a speech on behalf of the board chairman, Prof. Abeeku Brew Hammond at the launch of this year’s “Energy Efficiency Month”, yesterday called on Parliament to give more powers to the commission to enable it sanction importers who import cheap electronic products into the country.
According to him, one of the core functions of the commission, as stated in Act 541 is the Promotion of Energy Efficiency. In this regard, the commission instituted the energy efficiency and conservation month every year in September, to create the necessary awareness and to sensitise the public on how to efficiently use energy (electricity and fuel) to address economic and climate change challenges.
Prof. Hammond revealed that a study conducted by the commission indicated that consumers saved about GH¢31 annually, as result of the replacement of the incandescent Compact Fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
He added that the commission saved the country through the introduction of the CFLs, stressing that “a whopping amount of $33million is being saved annually by the country”.
Furthermore, the board chairman estimated that the implementation of standards and labelling on refrigerating appliances will save the country over $100 million annually.
The same standards and labelling regime extended to cover air-conditioners is saving the country about $52million annually.
Touching on the theme of the month-long event “The Role of Standards and Labelling in the Promotion of Energy Efficiency”, Prof. Hammond described standards and labelling as a set of procedures and regulations that prescribe the minimum energy performance of manufactured products.
He explained that “we are focusing on standards and labelling this year because consumers are often inclined to buy cheap products on the market. This burdens them with much higher running cost for years to come.”
Another reason for the commission’s application of standards and labelling is that standards ensure that the cheap products and their associated high energy consumption, which drains the country’s national grid and economy, are removed from the market.
Activities drawn for the month-long event included radio talk shows across the south part of the country, and monitoring and evaluation seminar in Accra. The forum was also used to launch “Energy Efficiency Tips” which will be distributed freely to Ghanaians”.
Source: Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
