EPA commissions refrigeration Centre at TTI

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA

Takoradi, March 1, GNA - Mr Peter Abum Sarkodie, the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated that the EPA has the responsibility to ensure the reduction in the use of refrigerants in order to avert ozone depletion and global warming.

“By doing so, we will be helping to achieve the sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 on affordable and clean energy and climate change action respectively”, he added.

Mr Sarkodie said, observing good practices with regards to the environment was akin to meeting the obligations on the Montreal protocol and its amendments, reduce energy demands and help citizens to avoid premature demobilisation.

The Executive Director was speaking at the commissioning of a $120,000 dollar refrigeration centre of excellence housed in the GHC140, 000 refurbished room within the Takoradi Technical Institute (TTI) in Takoradi.

He said the TTI facility which was to serve the southern part of the country would impart the code of good refrigeration practices to both students and practitioners in the formal and informal sector.

Mr Sarkodie said the skilled men and women who would install, service, repair and dismantle refrigerators and air conditioners were at the heart of the phase out of the HCFCS and the introduction of energy efficient and low global warming potential alternatives.

"Ghana, as a country is ready and equipped to adopt alternatives refrigerants, which include; hydrocarbons, ammonia etc that is why we need to have informed and well trained servicing technicians…they need to be trained to cope with the specifics properties of alternatives refrigerants".

The refrigeration centre of excellence would therefore train tradesmen, technicians and engineers in the safe handling and application of low global warning potentials in the country.

He pointed out that one key objective of the establishment of the centre of excellence was to certify refrigeration technicians in the country, adding “hopefully, the certification regime will begin next year, and it will be discharged by the EPA in collaboration with the COTVET, GIZ and the government of Italy.

Mrs Eugenia Gifty Kusi, the Deputy Regional Minister said refrigeration was an essential aspect of live and therefore there was the need to initiate immediate measures to address any challenges associated with its use.

She said the government would create the enabling environment that advanced the human resource capacity for development, innovation and technological development.

Mrs Kusi said technical education continued to be the backbone of development of many developed countries adding, “Germany for example has achieved exponential growth due to its focus on the area…I feel elated to tell you that the NPP government will do all it can to stimulate and drive technical education to the level such that it becomes the beacon of our development”.

GNA

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