Accra, Sept. 4, GNA -- The Government on Monday directed all heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) to adopt energy efficient management systems during operational hours to reduce expenditure on power consumption and assist in meeting the targets of the ongoing load management programme.
A statement signed by Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Information and National Orientation, said air conditioners and cooling units should only be switched on between 1000 hours and 1600 hours while all electrical appliances should be used minimally.
It said Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, on the directions of President John Agyekum Kufuor, has directed that natural light should be used as much as possible with curtains and blinds opened to allow sunlight into office buildings wherever practicable.
"All electric lights should be switched off during daylight working hours. If it becomes necessary to switch on lights during working hours, all lights, with the exception of those vital for security, must be switched off at the close of work."
The statement said Government would hold all heads of institutions fully and personally responsible for ensuring compliance with the directive.
It said the programme of installing more energy efficient compact lamps in institutional buildings in order to reduce energy consumption would continue and urged members of the public to adopt similar measures in their homes.
The Government appealed to industries to conserve and use energy efficiently and arrange production plans in a manner that would optimize the use of energy.
The statement said a comprehensive public education and awareness campaign to educate energy consumers on steps to reduce energy consumption and budget was being implemented.
"The Government wishes to assure the public that it is fully aware of the inconveniences imposed by the current load management programme announced by the VRA and ECG and is taking the necessary steps to assist the service providers to restore the situation to normalcy.
"The current situation is uncomfortable for the citizenry, but Government appeals to all Ghanaians to work hand-in-hand with the service providers to decrease our overall consumption as much as possible."
The statement said this joint effort would achieve the desired result of lowering the nationwide load on energy banks and would hopefully minimise the frequency of load-shedding in the shortest possible time.
VRA and ECG instituted a load management programme from August 28 because of the drop in the water level of the Volta Lake as a result of lower than normal inflows into the feeder tributaries of the Volta Lake. The inflows of water into the Volta Reservoir so far this year have been below average.
A statement issued by the two companies said: 93At present the VRA relies on the Volta Reservoir to produce over 60 per cent of its power from the Akosombo and Kpong generating stations, the balance of which is supplied from the thermal plants at Aboadze and via imports from Cote d'Ivoire.
"Currently, all the available units at the Aboadze Thermal Plant complex are running at full capacity fired by light crude oil, the price of which is very high and continues to rise. The use of expensive crude oil has the potential of impacting on tariffs.
"Consequently, with only a few weeks left of the major rainy season, the VRA and ECG have instituted a load management programme to optimise the use of the available water in the Volta Reservoir to bring the Lake to an appreciable level to restore normal production between now and throughout next year (2007). This is expected to forestall any undue drawdown of the Volta Reservoir.
"It is expected that these measures will lead to a rise in the level of the Akosombo Reservoir and make available cheaper hydropower to blend with the expensive crude oil fired thermal power for the benefit of customers."
