Accra, Mar. 2, GNA--Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Energy on Tuesday charged Ghanaians to examine closely the way they use energy and find ways to achieve efficiency.

He said it had been estimated that the level of waste in the use of electricity was between 20 per cent and 30 per cent and called for measures to address this situation so that the country's energy consumption would not threaten its existence and economic development. Dr. Nduom was delivering the keynote address at the launching of the Sustainable Energy Training Programme for Decision Makers in Accra. The programme, which is designed to enhance the ability of decision makers to identify, develop and finance energy efficiency projects, is being organised for decision makers from the various sectors of the economy.

It is being organised by the Energy Foundation and the Fredrich Ebert Foundation and sponsored by the Ministry of Energy and the British High Commission in Ghana.

Dr Nduom noted that the Government's golden age of business would be possible only if adequate, cost effective and reliable supply of energy was available.

He stated that the establishment of the Energy Foundation and the subsequent vigorous promotion of the efficient use of energy by the Energy Ministry, through the Foundation provided opportunities for the development of an energy efficient economy.

Dr Nduom said the Energy Foundation had demonstrated, through its public education programmes and industrial energy management activities that energy consumption and energy cost could be reduced drastically if the right measures were taken at the right time.

The Minister also launched an Energy Van that was acquired by the Energy Foundation at a cost of 53,000 dollars with the assistance of the Ministry of Energy and British High Commission.

The van, which would be operated under the Energy Foundation's Mobile Energy Management Service, is equipped with the state of the art energy diagnostic equipment designed to identify and quantify energy saving opportunities in industry and commercial enterprises.

Dr. O. Boeh-Ocansey, Director-General of the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), said the private sector was fully aware of the Government's policy of full cost recovery, which called for effective management of energy to reduce waste.

"Energy cost has direct impact on profitability and the adoption of energy efficiency practices and technologies would help industry to reduce cost and increase our competitiveness".

Dr Boeh-Ocansey welcomed the launching of the Energy Foundation's Mobile Energy Management Service and said it would bring energy audit service to the doorsteps of industries, particularly small and medium size enterprises.

He, however, stated that the difficulty in securing funding had in the past stifled the implementation of energy efficiency opportunities and called on the financial institutions to assist in this direction.