Dr Ofusu Ahenkorah

The Energy Commission officially began the distribution of over six million energy saving light bulbs as part of a national campaign to conserve energy throughout the country yesterday.

The exercise, when fully implemented nation-wide, is expected to save between 200 and 240 megawatts of energy, according to experts. This, they say, is a bold attempt by the Government to tackle the energy crisis.

The national exercise began in Suhum in the Eastern Region, as it was thought this was a good sized community to test the bulbs and means the process could be completed within a week.

It is aimed to replace incandescent bulbs with the imported energy saving ones as part of Government's efforts to reduce energy consumption and to save consumers from paying high electricity bills.

A K Ofosu Ahenkorah, Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission noted that the lamps are to be distributed freely to the public and emphasised that they are strictly not for re-sale.

Following the distribution of the six million lamps, the Government will increase its importation into the market at highly subsidised prices to ensure the sustainability of the project, if proven successful.

In order to make the energy saving lamps affordable for the public, Government waived import duty and VAT from all lamps and in addition, banned importation of incandescent lamps, according to Dr Ahenkorah.

Dr Ahenkorah stated that Suhum was chosen for the exercise as a successful pilot project was started in the district a year ago on solar energy. Furthermore, Suhum will be a test to prove the success, or otherwise of the whole exercise.

The Executive Secretary hinted that fluorescent lamps will be replaced in all government buildings and institutions as part of the energy saving exercise.

Yesterday, most houses in and around Suhum had their high energy consumption bulbs replaced by the new energy friendly lamps. Both the staff from the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Energy Commission will complete the transition of the bulbs, moving from house-to-house across the country.

The District Chief Executive for the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar thanked the government for initiating the national exercise in the district. This, he said, was a result of the co-operation of the Energy Commission and the district during the pilot project.

He pledged his support to ensure a smooth start of the exercise for the government to succeed in addressing the energy crisis.