Energy Commission to enforce new electrical wiring regulations

The Energy Commission has introduced the Electrical Wiring Cables and Accessories Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2478), with a focus on controlling the quality of electrical cables and accessories in Ghana. 

The legislation, set to be fully enforced by June 2025, mandates that only products meeting the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) requirements will be allowed in the market. 

Key steps include forming an Implementation Committee by December 2024, conducting awareness campaigns throughout 2024, starting initial registrations in January 2025, and running a pilot phase by March 2025.

Passed by Parliament, L.I. 2478 aims to address public safety concerns over substandard electrical products linked to fire and electrocution risks. During a stakeholder meeting in Tamale, Stephen N-ebe Yomoh, Assistant Manager at the Energy Commission, outlined that the regulations will cover all parties involved in the electrical product supply chain—manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, retailers, and installers.

Once enforced, L.I. 2478 will ban the import, production, storage, or sale of any wiring products that do not comply with Ghanaian standards. Wholesalers and retailers will be obligated to verify the compliance of their products, ensuring adherence to quality and safety.

The regulations also empower authorities, including the Energy Commission, GSA, Customs, and the Ghana Police Service, to inspect and seize non-compliant items. Yomoh advised facility owners and buyers to focus on product quality, noting that cheap, substandard cables pose serious risks, from fires to electrocution.

Yomoh added that with Ghana’s electricity access rate at 88%, far above the regional average, the use of poor-quality materials significantly increases potential hazards for Ghanaians.