Indigenous manufacturer of electrical cables and conductors, Tropical Cable & Conductor Ltd (TCCL), has begun a sensitisation campaign to educate stakeholders on various best practices in wiring and cable selection to help curtail the electricity-related fire incidents in the country.
The campaign also covers inspection and testing of electrical works which enable contractees to be certain that service rendered to them is of quality.
This year’s campaign, which began at Tarkwa, is based on TCCL’s findings that causes of electrical fires may not only result from the use of inferior electrical products, but also the lack of professional know-how of the electrical personnel performing the installation work.
Tropical Cable organises the sensitisation seminars every year as part of a social investment project to sensitise the public to the proper use of electrical cables and the dangers associated with using inferior and sub-standard ones.
About 200 participants, including representatives from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA), the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), independent electricians and electrical engineers, the Takoradi Polytechnic, the Chambers of Commerce and Mines as well as mining companies attended the one-day seminar at Tarkwa in the Western Region this month.
Regulations
A resource person, Elder Appiagyei Kwame Torto, took the participants through the new wiring regulations and the mandate of the Energy Commission in the energy sector when it came to wiring.
He emphasised that only certified professionals would be allowed to perform electrical installations or works of any kind in all industries.
Elder Torto also took participants through alternative cable selections and stressed the need for individuals and companies to inspect electrical works after their performance.
Having elaborated on the processes involved in such inspections, engineer Torto said it was necessary to prevent any adverse effects of negligence, adding they might lead to electrical fires.
TCCL through the years
The Marketing and Business Development Manager of TCCL, Nana Kwame Oteng-Gyasi, in an address, recounted the history of TCCL, emphasising how it started modestly but had expanded tremendously after it had perfected the art of producing quality cables and conductors for use in Ghana and the West African sub-region.
He said the company had also contributed significantly to deepening the power sector and had supported electricians and electrical contractors who promote locally manufactured cables.
The Sales Engineer of TCCL, Mr Michael S. N. A. Abbey, shed light on the range of products the company offered, linking the products to their practical applications, while elaborating the technical advantages of using TCCL-manufactured cables.
Some of the other cables include aluminium overhead lines, copper overhead lines, single and multicore armored and unarmored cables, mining cables, telecommunication cables and specialised (Made to Spec) cables. The company also produces sockets and switches.
ID cards
Besides the company branded T-shirts and certificates presented to all the participants, the company also presented special identity cards to Certified Electrical Wiring Professionals (CEWP).
The ID cards are to be used as attestation and for purchasing cables from any official sales outlets of TCCL.