Oscar Amonoo-Neizer was speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the Western Zone training workshop on Energy and Resource Management for selected MMDAs and businesses in Takoradi.

He said a UNDP-Ghana Statistical study on factors affecting hotels for instance showed that about 70 percent of business’ cost was from Energy Consumption and therefore the need to install photocell technology in addition to other best practices.

“Some of these best practices are the use of photocells, which would be me up help you to use the electricity wisely. Others are to put a stop to wrong practices where you keep certain electrical appliances on unduly for longer periods.“

Mr. Amonoo-Neizer also said the UNDP’s assisted 6-regionals training workshop on Energy and Resource Management for selected MMDAs and businesses will help major energy consumers to save costs for reinvestment.

He also highlighted plans by the Energy Commission to rid the Ghanaian market of any substandard electrical appliances and fittings in the country.

“Our plan is to educate the public on being able to embrace the use of more efficient electrical appliances and try to discourage them from using less efficient appliances, and that is why we started with banning used refrigerators, and we are expanding that into other used electrical appliances,“ he noted.

The Head of Environment and Climate at the United Nations Development Programme, Stephen Kansuk, told Citi News his outfit is rolling out an inclusive MSMEs support programme which includes $700,000 funding for the Energy Commission’s six-regional training workshops on Energy and Resource Management for selected MMDAs and businesses

In the study conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank in 2020, the MSMEs and other businesses were found to have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and needed to build resilience against numerous setbacks.

Hotels for example spend approximately 60 -70 percent of their operating costs on energy and resources and hence need assistance in adopting best practices with energy and resource use to reduce costs, hence the UNDPs inclusive programme that is looking at three areas including energy and resource efficiency component seeking to support businesses to save costs in six-districts of Ghana.