The Energy Commission has advised hotel, guest house and restaurant operators to desist from buying used electrical gadgets for their operations, adding that used refrigerators and air conditioners consume more electricity and could cripple their business. It went on to explain that such used gadgets are meant for European countries where the weather is cold compared to Africa.
At a day sensitization forum in Tamale for hoteliers and restaurant operators, the commission also encouraged businesses and households in the northern region to look out for the commission’s branded refrigerators and buy new electrical gadgets to reduce their monthly electricity bills.
According to the commission, it is better to buy expensive gadgets which consume less electricity than used ones that consume more. It is cheaper to conserve than to expand capacity, the commission pointed out.
Investment in energy efficiency, conservation of energy is the surest way of addressing the energy situation in the country, the commission observed.
Operators of hotels and guest houses were also implored to keep electric irons at the receptions with caution notes posted at vantage points indicating that, ‘ironing is prohibited and guests will be surcharged for using irons without authorization.”
The commission also encouraged hotel operators to buy LED bulbs which last longer and consume less electricity. It said it has written to the Ministry of Finance to consider reversing the tax on LED to enable operators opt for it.
To discourage the importation of used electrical appliances, the commission said it seized 30 thousand used refrigerators at the Tema port and intends to destroy them. In June alone, the commission said over 5, 000 used electrical appliances were also seized.
The Head of the Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Division of the Energy Commission, Mr Kofi Agyekum explained the rationale behind the education to Zaa News.
When asked if it is prudent and economically viable for people to opt for solar energy, Mr Agyeku said the commission has the technical capacity to handle supply and maintenance of the panels.
He dismissed suggestions that solar is expensive, and cited the amount consumers pay per kilowatt hour, which is one cedi, two pesewas.
The chairman of Northern Region hoterliers Association, Malam Samson Zachary encouraged hotel operators to invest in solar instead of relying on the VRA. Malam Zackary, who is the CEO of Arewa Sunshine hotel, said he invested 41 thousand Ghana cedis into solar which has helped him a lot.
He added that he has since a drastic reduction in his electricity bill. “My monthly electricity bill has been reduced from 16,000 Ghana cedis to 6,000 cedis,” he explained.
On the maintenance of panels, Malam Zachary said he has never witnessed any breakdown of the system since the hotel started using it for almost four months, explaining its main problem is usually the battery and nothing else.
