Fridge Importers Apprehensive

• As Ban Takes Effect

By Esther Awuah

Dealers of refrigerators have expressed their frustration at the Energy Commission for not extending the deadline for the enforcement of the ban on the import of used refrigerators.

Government would from January 1, 2013 ban the importation of old refrigerators which are said to contain dangerous gases that pose health risks and also consume much electricity, which is not only a cost to the individual but the nation.

In an interview with CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE in Accra, Alex Opong Antwi National Secretary of Ghana Association of Importers and Sellers of Used Refrigerators (GAISUR), noted that even though the association made several requests to the Energy Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to extend the deadline for the ban, their request was not granted.

He said “when the Energy Commission informed us that they want to ban the importation of used refrigerators, we proposed five years moratorium beginning from 2010, but they only gave us two years which is certainly not enough for us to prepare ahead of the ban.”

He however noted that GAISUR was in discussions with government to provide certain interventions to assist its members to access credits to venture into the business of selling new fridges.

“Our ultimate aim is to team up with government to provide credit facilities for members, so we can be in the position to sell new refrigerators and also link us with some manufacturing companies who can set up manufacturing plants in Ghana to make it easier and less expensive for us to buy them.”

“Within a month, we would have gotten a manufacturing company who would be prepared to partner us.”

In response to GAISUR’s request, Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, told this paper that talks were underway with a leading refrigerator manufacturer, which would soon set up a factory in Ghana.

He said “in fact we have introduced the association to a manufacturer who is prepared to do business with them to the extent of establishing a plant in Ghana to manufacture their appliances.”

He however called on the association to cooperate with the Energy Commission and its stakeholders to enforce the ban while it works to create an alternative means for them.

“It is not our objective to destroy anyone’s business but at the same time the country risks being fined by the international community if we continue to import these harmful appliances.”

However, CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE learnt that German manufacturer Bosch had submitted proposals to the Energy Commission to set up a plant in Ghana.