The Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA) has advised users of electrical gadgets to be extra careful with their use as they immerse themselves into the World Cup games.
Awal Sakib Mohammed, the President of GECA in an interview with 3FM Sunrise Morning Show observed that many people during the excitement of the world cup thrills may easily leave their irons and other electrical appliances on, which may lead to fire outbreaks or wastage of electricity.
Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA) has further warned that the incessant increase in the prices of electrical cables is promoting the usage of inferior cables in the wiring of buildings which could lead to an increase in fire incidences.
He explained that the cost of borrowing and cedi depreciation are seriously affecting the cost of cables and thus contributing highly to the use of inferior cables and shoddy electrical works in Ghana.
“Estimates are made for electrical works in advance but as the construction progresses, the price instability affects the budget allocation and in order for the contractor not to incur greater losses, he or she would resort to lesser expensive and inferior alternative materials” Awal Sakib mentioned.
The electrical contractors have stressed the need for electrical jobs to be awarded separately to specialized electrical companies who can do proper professional estimation and costing, whereas the civil and building works are given to a civil engineering firm so that we can have very good electrical installations in Ghana.
“In Ghana, our system is not well regulated. Both public and some private jobs are lumped up and given to one person who is a building contractor who wants to maximize his profit as a businessman. However some of them are not able to price well for the electrical works and in order to make up for the underpricing, they force the electrical person to go with any amount. The electrical person too would have to compromise on quality in order to be able to do the job” the GECA President bemoaned
GECA encourages property owners and facilities managers to conduct regular auditing and maintenance of their electrical installations in order to prevent damages and unwanted incidents.
By Samuel Afriyie Owusu|3news.com|Ghana