Compliance with standards in Ghana’s electrical cable market is no longer optional, the Energy Commission has declared, as it intensifies regulatory enforcement to protect consumers and uphold safety standards.

Speaking at the launch of a Low Smoke Anti-Counterfeit Cable by Nexans Kabelmetal Ghana Limited, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission, Adwoa Serwaa Bondzie, emphasised that strict adherence to standards is essential to safeguarding lives and property.

She noted that under the Electrical Wiring Cables and Accessories Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2478), the Commission has strengthened oversight of the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale and use of electrical wiring cables and related accessories.

“When standards work, systems work. And when systems work, lives are protected,” she stated, underscoring the importance of regulatory compliance.

According to Ms. Bondzie, the regulations are designed to ensure product traceability, enforce compliance with approved standards and hold companies accountable for the quality of materials placed on the market.

She stressed that preventing the circulation of substandard cables is critical to ensuring safe electrical installations nationwide.

The Acting Executive Secretary further revealed that since the implementation of the Electrical Wiring Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 2008), the Commission has intensified inspections and deployed digital monitoring tools to enhance professionalism and compliance within the sector.

One such initiative, the Installation Completion Certificate Application Platform (ICCAPP), has improved transparency and accountability in inspection and certification processes.

The Commission has also strengthened collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority and port authorities to prevent the importation of substandard electrical materials, reinforcing coordinated regulatory action at entry points.

Ms. Bondzie reiterated that ensuring safe electrical installations is not a discretionary matter but a national imperative necessary to protect lives, property and the integrity of Ghana’s electrical market.