Takoradi, April 30, GNA - Mr. Kofi Armah Buah, the Deputy Minister of Energy, has cut the sod for work to start on the second phase of the Sekondi-Takoradi Street lighting project.

He under the second phase, the contractor would erect 59 kilometres of streets lights as against 53 kilometres of street lighting erected during the first phase.

Mr. Buah, the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, said many of the street lights erected during the first phase are not working due to lack of maintenance and the company had agreed to rehabilitate them before beginning work on the second phase.

He said the second phase was started in May 5 last year and under that phase the company, El Sewedy, is executing the Regional Capitals Street Lighting Project at Takoradi, Bolgatanga, Wa, Ho and Sunyani. Mr. Buah said the cost of the second phase is 22,877,254 dollars as against the cost of 24,146,416 dollars for the first phase which was started in 2007 and completed in 2008 at Koforidua, Sekondi, Tamale and Cape Coast. He said at the regional level, the Ghana Regional Capitals Street Lighting Project seeks to complete street lighting of about 900 kilometres of roads comprising selected streets at Accra and Tema, Takoradi, Ho, Koforidua, Tamale, Sunyani, Bolgatanga, Wa, Kumasi and Cape Coast. Mr. Buah said the Ministry of Energy is considering subsequent phases of the deployment to cover some streets in the 170 Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts.

He said the Street Lighting initiative is a key ingredient that indirectly impacts on the Government's "Vision 2020" development agenda which among others, seeks to reduce poverty and also enhance the socio-economic status of citizens by 2020.