ECG begins workshops on the productive uses of electricity

Agona-Nkwanta (W/R) Nov. 17, GNA - The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has began a series of workshops in a number of communities that enjoy its services in the Western Region under a programme to educate them on the various productive uses of the facility to promote small scale entrepreneurship.

The programme, which will cover eleven communities within the next two months, also has the objective to help farmers to raise their income levels through the use of electricity to add value to their produce by processing them.

Madam Sophia Horna-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister told participants at the first of such workshops at Agona-Nkwanta in the Ahanta West District on Saturday to take full advantage of the facility to improve their incomes.

She advised them to abandon "the old methods of doing things" and come together to explore the possibility of using electricity to treat, preserve and process agricultural produce to reduce post harvest losses.

The Deputy Regional Minister noted that electricity could be used to accelerate rural economic growth because it would help to cut down on cost, maximise yield and ensure increased productivity.

She commended the European Union (E.U.) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency for their assistance in the area of electrification to rural communities in the region.

15,000 people in 108 communities in the region would enjoy electricity under the current EU electrification project.

Madam Horna-Sam said under the on-going third Self- Help Electrification Programme (SHEP III), 40 communities in seven districts are to be provided with the facility.

Already 35 communities have been connected to the national grid under the SHEP II. His Excellency Stefan Frowein, Head of the EU Delegation in Ghana said 10.5 million euros from the European Development Fund was being used to fund electrification projects in the region.

He said the focus of the project was mainly on small- scale entrepreneurs in the productive sectors of industry, commerce and agriculture.

The provision of electricity, he noted, would open up in cold storage, fruit canning, poultry production, corn milling, coconut and palm oil extraction to create employment.

The head of the EU delegation said the education of ECG customers on the productive uses of electricity and its economic benefits to the country formed an important part of the EU electrification project in the region.

There were demonstrations on the use of some machines used in the agricultural sector to the participants.