The Energy Commission has announced the commencement of full implementation and enforcement of the Electrical Wiring Cables and Electrical Wiring Accessories Regulation, 2023 (L.I 2478) from June 2025.
By 31st December 2024, an implementation committee will be established, followed by a pilot implementation on March, 2025.
The new L.I was passed by Parliament to ensure that only safe electrical wiring cables and electrical wiring accessories which meet standards set by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) are available in the country.
Passage of the new L.I came up following observations that some electrical wiring cables and electrical wiring accessories on the Ghanaian markets do not meet the minimum acceptable standards established by the GSA, further exposing the public to fire and electrocution hazards.
The legislative instrument (L.I 2478) has therefore been passed to prevent the influx of substandard cables and accessories to ensure that only safe electrical cables and accessories that meet the standards set by GSA are available in the country.
These was disclosed at a stakeholders meeting organised by the commission in Kumasi on 31st October, 2024 at the Golden Hotel.
MEETING
Participants comprised officers from the Ghana National Fire Service, Customs, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Institute of Engineering, Certified Electrical Wiring Practitioners, Certified Wiring Inspectors, manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, among others.
REGULATION
This new regulation applies to manufacturers, importers, wholesalers/retailers, installers of electrical wiring cables and electrical wiring accessories.
Importers and manufacturers will have to register at the commission to procure for certificate of conformance (CoC) from same.
Suppliers such as manufacturers and importers of electrical cables and accessories are responsible for providing the certificate of conformance to buyers.
Responsibility of a buyer
Under this new L.I, a buyer is required to keep copies of the certificate of conformance for verification by the Energy Commission.
What is expected from the general public
They general public as announced by officials should only buy GSA approved cables and accessories and verify the products’ authenticity.
Penalties
Briefing the media after the event, Stephen Yomoh, Assistant Manager-Energy Commission cautioned manufactures and importers on the need to comply, saying that there are fines associated with the L.I when violated.
“It ranges from 125 to 500 penalty units and imprisonment of 6 and 24 months”.
In addition to the foregoing, he said that all substandard materials upon confiscation will be destroyed or re-exported at the cost of violaters.
A facility owner who was not diligent in making sure that the cables and accessories that are used for his facility are up to standard will have his facility disconnected from the national grid so as to protect lives and properties.
