Charcoal producers to obtain permit

Charcoal Effective July 2009, charcoal producers who produce more than 100 tonnes per annum would be required to take permission from the Energy Commission before they can carry out their operations in the country.

It is expected that they would have to part with about GH¢1000 as they would pay close to GH¢500 as initial permit fee and another GH¢500 for annual operating fee.

A special permit will be required for bulk transportation of charcoal. This will authorize the permit holder to use registered vehicles to transport charcoal.

Though retailers of charcoal will not need a permit to carry out their trade, wholesalers will have to be issued with one before they can store charcoal in commercial quantities while charcoal exporters need an Energy Commission permit.

The move is in line with the Energy Commission's effort to regulate and manage the utilization of energy resources in Ghana.

Energy Commission Act 541 mandates the commission to make policies for the development and utilization of indigenous energy resources including renewable energy and according to Alfred K. Ofosu Ahenkorah, Executive Secretary of the Commission, Ghana's “forests and savannah are being depleted and no effort is being made to restore it”.

He explained that this is because the sector has not been regulated in time past but under the move to promote renewable energy development in Ghana, nobody can carry out commercial operations relating to the provision of service in the renewable energy industry with authorization from the Energy Commission.

In this direction, permit will also be required for the production, manufacturing and assembling and importation of renewable energy products. For the installation and maintenance of renewable energy, technologies stakeholders in the industry would have to take permit.

In addition permit would be required by operators of marketing and for the bulk storage as well as the transportation of renewable energy products.

The permit which would be issued only on payment of a stipulated initial permit fee would be granted to operators who conform to environmentally sound operations and sustainability as well as compliance with standards of safety, reliability and quality in renewable energy market.

A register for permits granted shall be published on the Energy Commissions website (www.energycom.gov.gh).

“A breach of this requirement shall attract sanctions by the commission,” stated the Executive Secretary.

By Emelia Ennin Abbey