Nduom Lauds Offer to sell VALCO to Ghana

Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Energy, on Saturday commended the decision by Kaiser Aluminium of the United States to sell its shares in VALCO to the government of Ghana, saying it was a "golden opportunity for the country." He said it would help Ghana to utilise her vast bauxite deposits to boost the economy, and also to provide employment opportunities for the people.

Dr. Nduom was inaugurating an electrification project for Ayensudu, a farming community in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo- Abrem (KEEA) District of the Central Region, as part of the Rural Electrification Project. He reiterated the determination of the government to extend power to rural communities, to help stem poverty and urged the people to use the facility to generate more income to improve upon their living conditions.

Dr. Nduom, assured the people that government would not discriminate against any community in the provision of development projects, and urged them to pay their electricity bills promptly. On the 2004 elections, he appealed to them to help ensure that it was conducted peacefully.

Mr. Emmanuel Antwi-Darko, Director of Power at the Ministry of Energy, said government spent 20 to 30 million dollars annually, for the extension of electricity to the various communities, since the Rural Electrification Project was launched.

He said since 1991, a total of 2,000 communities had benefited from the project and that within the last six months, about 400 communities had been hooked to the national grid, while 1,000 others would also benefit by June next year.

The KEEA District Chief Executive, Nana Ato Arthur said other communities that had benefited from the project in the district, included Abayee, Dwaboo, Aboabo and Nyamebekyere, and advised the people to use electricity judiciously, to derive the maximum benefit. The chief of Ayensudu, Nana Affrakoh I, commended the government for extending the facility to the area and promised that it would be put to good use.

He appealed to the government to establish a police station in the town and also construct speed ramps to help curb the rampant accidents that had been occurring in the area.