Ghana Electrometer Limited (GEM), an indigenous Ghanaian company assembling integrated metering solutions in Ghana, has taken the lead to actualise Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) Local Content Regulations ((L.I. 2354) being scaled-up by the sector regulator, Energy Commission. As passed by the Parliament of Ghana, the regulations’ objective is to achieve a minimum of fifty-one percent (51%) equity participation in wholesale supply and distribution in the Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) of Ghana and 60% local content; and also develop capacity in the manufacturing industry for electrical cables, solar cells, conductors and accessories among others.
In line with its vision of being a leading metering solutions provider in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region, and to encourage the legislation’s objective by promoting local content development in the energy sector, GEM has acquired its first vehicle (Ɔmama) from Kantanka Automobile. At a brief ceremony to officially hand-over the vehicle to management of the metering company, Chief Operations Officer-GEM, Mr. Kwasi Akomaining Boadu said the vehicle comes at a strategic time when GEM is currently embarking on an Electricity Company of Ghana Loss Reduction Project. “We are singing the local content song, so we need to go to where local content fully comes into play with automobiles. We looked at their vehicles, and indeed per the confirmation from other sectors we realised that it was time to get one for ourselves; and this pick-up will be of great help to us,” he added – while explaining that the loss reduction policy model requires extensive field monitoring even in rough terrain, which the Kantanka Ɔmama off-road vehicle will help achieve.
The Chief Operations Officer also noted that Ghana has both the ability and capacity to produce goods and services locally, which in turn creates more jobs and generates revenue for the country’s economic development. Mr. Boadu continued that GEM, as a local content-compliant company certified by the Energy Commission, highly believes in the need to support local enterprises and initiatives; hence the decision to acquire field support vehicles from Kantanka Automobile, adding that: “It is our firm belief that this first acquisition fosters our new business relationship with Kantanka Automobile”.
GEM prides itself as an indigenous firm that has progressively accelerated and facilitated the ECG’s revenue generation, collection and protection through the deployment of its meters and solutions; having successfully deployed over 1 million meters across the country since its inception.
This, Mr. Boadu intimated, is due to the company’s commitment to the local content initiative – which has played out in various forms including the provision of some 300 job opportunities for Ghanaians at both direct and indirect levels.
