The absence of electricity supply to hundreds of communities within the Krachi/Nchumuru Constituency of the Oti Region is affecting local businesses and the standard of education, Member of Parliament for the area, Hon Solomon Kuyon has said.
According to him, the lack of power supply in majority of communities is hurting and affecting local businesses, especially local entrepreneurs whose business boom at night and other power utilization businesses.
Hon Kuyon revealed this to EXPRESSNEWSGHANA after he had dragged the Minister for Energy to Parliament over abandoned electricity projects in the Constituency.
He expressed concern that the non-supply of power to the communities is not only driving potential local businesses away but is also affecting students learning as students in affected communities could not learn at night to improve their quality of studies.
“Connecting power to these communities is very important because it will boost their business. People who have cold stores, people who operates drinking spots and those who sells things in the 2v2ning will need light.
“Beside that, the available of lights will help students to learn at night. So all these , as I said will improve if the government extend the electricity to the communities,” the MP said.
Posing a question to the Minister on the floor of parliament last Thursday, March 9, 2023, the Krachi Nchumuru lawmaker wanted to know when c the Contractor working on the said rural electrification Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP ) would resume work to complete the project in the beneficiary five communities.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Energy when the contractor will resume work on the Rural Electrification Projects of the following communities: (i) Malla (ii) Nawir (iii) Ayebge-Akura (iv) Wandamdo, and (v) Ike in the Krachi Nchumuru constituency,” Hon Kuyon quizzed the Minister.
In response to the question, the sector Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempreh said the Wandamdo community formed part of the Ministry of Energy’s Self-
Help Electrification Programme (SHEP) in the Oti Region.
According to him, a total of 67no. High Tension and 66no Low Tension poles have been supplied and planted at Wandamdo, stressing that Substation works are yet to commence.
He attributed the delays in the execution of the electrification project at Wandamdo to the shortage of some key materials/equipment including transformers, and conductors, among others.
Dr. Prempreh however assured that the Ministry is taking delivery of some materials/equipment and would arrange for the release of the same for installation.
Unfortunately, he said the Malla, Nawir, and Ayegbe-Akura communities do not form part of any of the ongoing projects currently being executed by the
Ministry of Energy, but added that the communities have been noted and would be considered in subsequent electrification programmes.
But Hon Kuyon urged for speedy action, stating that despite the country interventions, several of communities still lack access to electricity, leaving many unscrupulous persons to resort to theft and robbery.
He lamented that residents in such communities have struggled to deal with power supply that is hugely affecting their businesses, causing shocks in homes and damaging appliances.
Achieving universal access to electricity is essential for solving many global development challenges. Decentralized renewable energy technologies have emerged as a viable solution, but Ghana is till adamant in innovation.
Source: sacredmediaonline.com/
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