Credit: Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R) Sept 25, GNA – The Government has set a six-month timeline for the completion of rural electrification and urban electricity intensification projects expected to extend reliable electricity supply to about 90 communities across the Oti Region.
Mr Richard Gyan-Mensah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Gomoa West and Deputy Minister for Energy and Green Transition, who represented Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister, said the projects formed part of the Rural Electrification Acceleration and Urban Intensification Initiative under the Government’s flagship Big Push programme.
The initiative, he said estimated at about GH¢300 million, seeks to extend electricity to communities without access to the national grid while strengthening existing networks in communities already connected to the grid.
Dr Jinapor said the programme was not limited to rural electrification, explaining that the urban intensification component was designed to improve existing electricity infrastructure and enhance the reliability and quality of power supply.
He said the rural electrification component would extend the national grid to underserved communities, while the intensification component would reinforce existing networks to meet growing demand and reduce challenges associated with inadequate power capacity.
Addressing a gathering in Dambai during the launch of the projects, Dr Jinapor said the Government was committed to ensuring that no community was denied access to reliable electricity because of its location.
He said reliable electricity remained critical to national development, particularly in improving education and healthcare delivery, supporting businesses and agro-processing, attracting investment, creating employment, enhancing security and improving livelihoods.
According to him, the Government had adopted a targeted regional approach to accelerate the connection of unelectrified communities to the national grid over the next four years.
He said the Savannah, Central, Oti and Volta Regions had been selected for implementation under the current phase of the initiative.
Mr John Kwadwo Gyapong, Oti Regional Minister, expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama for what he described as his continued commitment to the development of the region.
He noted that the Oti Region remained one of the relatively deprived regions and therefore required sustained development interventions to bridge its infrastructure and socio-economic gaps.
He said the Government’s commitment to the region was increasingly being demonstrated through projects and initiatives aimed at addressing the developmental needs of the people.
“Today is not simply another ceremony on the Government’s calendar; it is a practical demonstration of a developmental philosophy that places infrastructure, inclusivity and opportunity at the centre of national transformation,” he added.
Mr Gyapong said the electrification projects would create opportunities for young people to study and acquire skills, while enabling small and medium-scale businesses to operate more efficiently.
Daasebre Bonja Kwame Atamafowiese II, Chonke Overlord, commended the President for the initiative, saying improved electricity supply would help enhance power capacity and support economic activities in the region.
He, however, appealed to the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to address persistent low-voltage challenges in parts of the region.
He said the situation was affecting businesses and livelihoods and called for interventions to improve the quality and stability of electricity supply.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah /Kenneth Odeng Adade