By Kekeli K. Blamey, GNA
Sogakope (V/R), July 31, GNA – Twenty-five communities in the South Tongu Constituency have been approved for connection to the national electricity grid, under the Self-Help Electrification Programme (SHEP) of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition.
The approval makes South Tongu the constituency with the highest number of communities captured under the programme in the Volta Region.
Mr Maxwell Kwame Lukutor, the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Tongu, announced the development during a field inspection of ongoing preliminary activities in some of the beneficiary communities with the District Chief Executive, Ms Victoria Dzeklo, engineers and officials of the implementing agencies.
He said the approval followed the submission of a list of 83 underserved communities to the Ministry in September 2025 and sustained engagements with the Ministry and other stakeholders to secure their inclusion under the Government’s “Big Push” electrification programme.
The approved communities are Hete, Bodzito, Dasakoe, Doglokpo, Gborkpe, Larve New Town, Ahorgbakope/Podakope, Agordome Kpotame, Adzikpoe, Kome-Adjiekope, Fieborkope, Patukope, Gbadagbatorkor, Godzanu, Gbokpe/Votenu/Nyakpedukope/Todome, Akamkope, Amusukope, Tordzikor, Ahlihakpoe Nos. 3 and 4, Dekpevie New Town, Kpodzinyanor, Adzralakope, Agbakope Kofeyea and Agbelitime.
Mr Lukutor said implementation processes had commenced, with engineers and contractors undertaking technical assessments, route mapping, pole line surveys and other preliminary works ahead of the construction phase.
He said the inspection enabled the delegation to assess the progress of the preparatory works, interact with residents and receive updates from the technical team on the implementation schedule.
The MP expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition for approving the communities under the programme, describing the intervention as a major step towards expanding access to electricity and accelerating socio-economic development in the constituency.
He assured communities that were not captured under the first phase that efforts were continuing to secure approval for the remaining settlements contained in the original submission to the Ministry.
“Our commitment remains to ensure that every community in South Tongu is connected to the national electricity grid. Access to electricity is fundamental to economic growth, quality education, improved healthcare delivery, and enhanced livelihoods,” he said.
Mr Lukutor reaffirmed his commitment to working with the Government, the Ministry and all relevant stakeholders to accelerate rural electrification across the constituency.
Ms Victoria Dzeklo, the South Tongu District Chief Executive (DCE), said the Assembly would continue to collaborate with the Ministry and the implementing agencies to ensure the smooth execution of the project and called on beneficiary communities to support contractors during the implementation phase.
She said extending electricity to underserved communities remained critical to improving access to essential social services, stimulating local enterprises and promoting inclusive development within the district.
Some residents of the beneficiary communities expressed appreciation to the Government for approving the project and commended the MP and the DCE for their efforts in pursuing the initiative.
They said the extension of electricity to their communities would improve education by enabling pupils and students to study at night, enhance healthcare delivery, support agro-processing and other small-scale businesses, improve security and create employment opportunities for the youth.
The residents expressed optimism that the project would be completed on schedule and appealed to the implementing agencies to ensure the timely execution of the works so that the communities could begin to enjoy the full benefits of access to electricity.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo