More rural communities to be connected to national grid

More than 2,650 rural communities are to be connected to the national grid under the phase three of the Self-Help Electrification Programme (SHEP) which ends this year Mr Kwabena Jahir Hammond, Deputy Minister of Energy announced on Saturday.

He was commissioning a 1.4 billion cedis self-help electrification project, undertaken by the people of Ehie, a farming community in the Ketu District of the Volta Region. Mr Hammond stressed government's commitment to job creation, poverty alleviation and the provision of affordable and reliable energy supply as an indispensable component in socio-economic development.

The Deputy Minister, however, expressed regret that the vision of the National Electrification Programme, started in 1989 as a catalyst for the establishment of cottage industries, job creation, incomes enhancement and the reduction in youth migration were being relegated to the background.

Mr Hammond advised the people of Ehie to establish cottage industries and use the power to create employment and generate wealth to assist them pay their bills. He said 25 per cent of power generated in the country annually was wasted at a great cost to the nation and the taxpayer through the use of poor lamps and second hand electrical appliances.

Mr Hammond said government in conjunction with the Energy Foundation was working hard to eliminate the waste by inducing the use of high efficiency appliances and said while it was true consumers paid the correct tariffs to cover cost in power production, customers equally deserved reliable and efficient services from the power producers.

Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Deputy Volta Regional Minister said the commissioning of the project was proof of government's sincerity in completing all uncompleted projects inherited from the previous government. He gave the assurance that that the roads linking the town with Dzodze and Agbozume would be tarred to ease transportation in the area.

Mr Linus Coffie, Ketu District Chief Executive (DCE) asked the people to rally behind the government for the development of the area and said work would soon begin on a six-classroom block for the town. He promised that the assembly would assist the community to pay its commitment fee of 150 million cedis for the 2.3 billion cedis GTZ water project.

Togbe Adukpo 111, chief of Ehie in his welcoming address said the availability of power would enhance gari processing, rice milling, food preservation and also improve the work of artisans in the town. He appealed for the construction of other roads linking the town, extension of power to adjoining villages and urged the youth to take advantage of the availability of electric power to improve their lot.