A new company to produce energy efficient lamps, Intronix Ghana Limited, has been inaugurated in Accra and its owners say their immediate focus will be to flood the West African sub-region with high quality energy saving lamps. Intronix is a joint venture between El Sewedy Industries of Egypt, and Veritas Investment Ghana Limited, a wholly Ghanaian owned company. At the inauguration of the company last Wednesday, during which Intronix launched its Ultra brand of energy saving lamps, the Managing Director of the company. Obed Bright Solomon assured that with a capacity to produce 20,000 lamps a day, “we are ready to assemble for distribution to the whole of Ghana and the West Africa sub region. “The purpose of our joint venture is motivated not just by the need to create a viable business concern, but to contribute our quota in the provision of sustainable employment to the youth of our nation, facilitate the transfer of technology, earn foreign exchange for our economy through exports and reduce the level of foreign imports. We hope to achieve this aim by producing and distributing across West Africa, high quality energy saving lamps; the ULTRA brand being the first of many. We will aggressively embark on effective training of our very valuable human resource, maintain the highest quality standards and an effective marketing campaign. The potency of this conviction is what has inspired us to venture into this rather non-traditional but emerging area of industry in Africa.” While commending the government for encouraging active private sector participation in the Ghanaian economy, he called for further support, particularly the greater focus on the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes aimed at promoting and growing Ghanaian industries. He said such emphasis on local industry, the engine of growth as it is so often referred to, will greatly improve the fortunes of the nation. The Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Dr. Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah in a keynote address read on his behalf, noted that energy efficiency and the impact of energy consumption on the environment and economic stability are issues attracting lots of research attention worldwide and that increasing the energy efficiency of illumination can reduce electricity consumption and the associated production of green house gases. He said Between October 2007 and October 2008, Ghana saved about US$33.3 million at an average crude oil price of US$105 per barrel with the energy cost savings to the country being the result of some six million Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) distributed nationwide free of charge. Dr. Ofosu Ahenkorah while welcoming the new company as good news, reminded Intronix not to compromise quality on the “alter of profitability”, urging the company to closely collaborate with agencies such as the Energy Commission and Ghana Standards Board to ensure only high quality lamps get to the market. “In accordance with existing laws, CFL cannot be placed on the Ghanaian market unless it meets the GSB standards and meets the requirements of "Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling (Non-ducted Air-conditioners and Self Ballasted Fluorescent Lamps) Regulations, 2005 (LI1815). We advise Intronix to adhere to the regulations and make sure the lamps meet the standards”, he counseled. The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), represented by its Tema branch vice chairman, Mr. James Asare-Adjei, welcomed the introduction of the company and expressed hope that with electricity still a major cost to industrial outputs, businesses would implement strategies to reduce energy consumption in order to improve their competitiveness. He said high utility rates have posed a regular challenge for industry and he was excited about the production locally, of energy saving bulbs which will meet international standards, to help reduce energy cost. “My hope is that this company will become so successful that it will introduce other energy saving equipment into the country”, said Mr. James Asare-Adjei.