Prestea Huni-Valley MP drags Energy Minister to Parliament over Rural Electrification Projects
The Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley, Hon Robert Wisdom Cudjoe has summoned the Minister for Energy to parliament over the non-supply of power to over six communities in the Constituency.
According to him, darkness in the communities is giving room to criminal activities as armed robbers hide in the darkness to attack travelers and traders.
In addition, he said the absence of electricity supply is affecting local businesses as traders could not ply their trades in the evening after sunlight.
Hon Wisdom Cudjoe made this known after he posed a question to the Minister for Energy in parliament on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Energy steps taken to ensure that the following communities where works on rural electrification projects were completed in 2016 be connected to the National Grid: (i) Office (ii) No. 1 (iii) Subriso (iv) Kwesi Korkor (v) Subri Nkwanta (vi) Pewodie?” the MP quizzed the sector, Minister.
In response the sector Minister, Hon Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempreh said, the communities including Office, No.1, Subriso, and Kwesi Korkor formed part of the Ministry’s electrification project earmarked for execution by M/S Weldy Lamont & Associates Inc. in the Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency of the Western Region.
According to him, “the project originally targeted to connect 1,200 communities in all three (3) beneficiary Regions, namely Central, Western, and Brong Ahafo Regions, to the national electricity grid. During the implementation of the project, however, more communities were added for connection to the grid which increased the targeted communities to 2,251.”
“The electrification project was completed in May 2022 having the roads connected a total of 2,127 communities to the national grid. Unfortunately, installation works in some communities including the mentioned ones could not be completed as the project fund could not cover them.
“M/S Weldy Lamont has submitted the project completion report and a reconciliation exercise is being done to enable the Ministry to take over the outstanding works.
The Minister noted that, following the takeover of the outstanding works, the Ministry will repackage the projects for completion as part of the Self-Help Electrification Programme(SHEP).
He said the remaining communities, Subri Nkwanta and Pewodie communities however do not form part of any of the Ministry’s ongoing electrification programme. The communities have therefore been noted for consideration in future electrification programmes.
Dr. Prempreh further assured the MP and the people of the beneficiary communities that, the Ministry would send its technical men to the ground to reaffirm the level of work and supply of lights.
But Hon Cudjoe in a supplementary question wanted to know when the project would be eventually completed for his people to enjoy lights in their homes.
He said the non-supply of power is affecting development and increasing insecurity in the communities, stressing that, all wiring and poles are erected waiting for the supply of meters and connecting to power.
He appealed to the Minister to expedite action to supply meters and transformers as the long delay in the completion of the project would affect the already connected cables and poles.
Source: expressnewsghana.com
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