The Energy Commission has announced that with effect from this year, it is going to enforce 19 new regulations on the importation and manufacture of electrical appliances and renewable energy products in the country.
It says the Legislative Instruments (LIs) to that effect were passed in November last year.
The Commission explains that its intentions are to prevent Ghana from becoming a dumping ground for both used and new but substandard appliances; and promote efficient use and conservation of energy as well as mitigate the climate change impacts of these goods. (See story on this page).
Other benefits include saving the economy higher electricity demand which necessitates additional generation capacity with its associated fuel cost; protecting the environment and safeguarding the health of the people from air pollution caused by increased power generation; and protecting the consumer from purchasing unsuitable appliances and the payment of unnecessarily high electricity bills.
In spite of these benefits for the whole country, we hear that a so-called Concerned Importers of Used Appliances have registered their protest against the intended ban on the importation of used electrical appliances.
We wonder why now because we believe the Commission did not wake up just recently to take that decision.
Were there no consultations between it and the importers or there were but not to conclusion?
In any case, it is curious why the importers are raising the protest.
Does it mean they could not use a whole year’s transitional period allowed by the Commission to adjust to the new situation?
We also wonder why the importers would not take advantage of the requirement of the new regulations that manufacturers and importers of the appliances should seek authorisation from the Commission, have instructions on appliances written in English and also meet energy-efficiency standards.
It is clear that the importers are thinking of their parochial interest to the neglect of the harm their substandard appliances do to the nation.
We believe the Commission did its checks before coming to the conclusion to implement the LIs Parliament has enacted on its behalf.
The Commission’s mandate is to protect the whole country environmentally, health-wise and economically and this should take precedent over the parochial interest of a few individuals whose interest is only economic.
It is of great note that the Commission took into consideration the protection of the livelihoods in the electrical appliance and the renewable energy product markets, hence the transitional period of one year for the markets to adjust.
Therefore, if the players in these markets could not and still cannot adjust, the law must work, if they violate the new regulations.
It is about time institutions of state in this country worked for the public good instead of succumbing to the threats of a few people, no matter who they are and what they would lose.
One of the things that have helped certain nations to develop and progress is the effective application of their laws.
Therefore, if Ghana wants to see the expected progress, then its laws related to the various sectors of the society must be made to work, including the Energy Commission’s 19 regulations that take effect this year.
