Mr Kofi Agyarko, Director, Renewable and Energy Efficiency, Energy Commission (EC), has encouraged students and young people to champion the propagation of energy efficiency and preservation. 

He said, “we have come to a stage where energy efficiency and conservation should not be the preserve of the few, who can read and write only but rather everybody must come on board, especially students.”

Mr Agyarko noted that the future was in the hands of young people and that there was the need to equip them with all the skills and knowledge of energy efficiency and conservation.

He made the call during a sensitisation event for Senior High Schools (SHS) on energy efficiency and conservation at the Accra Academy SHS in Accra.

The event seeks to form energy management teams in various SHS with high energy consumption.

Mr Agyarko said there was a need to equip the students and young people with the skills and the knowledge of energy efficiency and conservation to inculcate into them the habit of energy preservation.

“We are doing all these so that when they grow up, there will not be the need to waste much time to educate them but they will know the right things to do,” he added.

Mr Agyarko said the Commission was embarking on a pilot in High Schools with high levels of energy consumption, and that Accra Academy SHS was one notable school in that regard.

He said the exercise would be extended across various schools in the country with high levels of energy consumption as well and that they would be monitoring the Schools after the education.

Mr Agyarko noted that an engineer had been designated by the EC to inspect various gadgets used by the school and note those that consumed more energy and the efficient ones and to prepare a report to advise to the school accordingly.

He advised the students, the staff to contribute to conserving and preserving energy for the environment and the economy as well.

Mr Emmanuel Ofoe Fiemawhle, the Headmaster of Accra Academy SHS, said the number of facilities and size of gadgets could be a factor to the high levels of energy consumption in the school.

He said they had about eight halls, a lot of dormitories, and a large number of student population of a minimum of over 2,400 and a maximum of 2,800.

Mr Ofoe said they would engage the students and staff regarding the conservation of energy to help reduce the high levels of consumption in the school.

He expressed gratitude to the EC for commencing the piloting exercise with their school and that it was an opportunity for them to take advantage to reduce consumption