994 New electricians certified

The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, has called on the public to patronise the services of certified electricians to help prevent fire outbreaks caused by faulty wiring.

According to him, having professionals who had undergone the requisite training to work on wiring was one of the crucial ways to safeguard against fire outbreaks.

“We need the right and qualified people for such jobs. One way to identify such people is to enquire if they have been certified by the relevant bodies to do electrical works,’’ he said.

Dr Ahenkorah was speaking at a graduation ceremony in Accra last Tuesday for 994 electricians who had successfully completed the Electrical Wiring Programme (EWP) organised by the commission.

The ceremony was the 10th of the EWP programme which started in 2013 in line with the Electrical Wiring Regulations, passed in February 24, 2012.

Electrical wiring programme

Under the EWP, the electricians go through three stages of a rigorous examination and practical assessment. After completion, the electricians become Certified Electrical Wiring Professionals (CEWPs) and Certified Electrical Wiring Inspectors (CEWIs).

The Director of Inspection and Enforcement at the Energy Commission, Mr Tony Bleboo, said the EWP had trained and certified 7,018 electrical wiring professionals and inspectors since its inception.

The commission, he said, had put in place an enhanced enforcement system that ensured that the CEWPs worked in line with electrical wiring guidelines.

“Our monitoring team has kept CEWPs on their toes, as well as the staff of distribution utilities involved in new service connections. We are at a stage where a CEWP knows that his work done over the years can be checked at any time and if found to violate the regulations, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken,’’ he said.

Mr Bleboo, who is also the lead officer for the EWP, warned the graduands not to flout the electrical wiring guidelines, saying “we will not hesitate to stop them from practising if they go contrary to the law.’’

Advice

The Chairman of the Energy Commission, Professor George Payin Hagan, a former Chairman of the Ghana National Commission on Culture, advised the graduands to use their certification to serve people but not to cheat or connive with them to indulge in illegalities.

“Don’t use your certification to help people do illegal connections. One bad electrician can affect the whole industry,’’ he said.

Writer’s email: emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh