Over 500 communities in Ashanti, Volta and others to benefit from electrification project – Oppong Nkrumah
Information Ministry has revealed that over five hundred communities in five regions is expected to benefit from a $103 million electrification project.
The five regions to benefit from this project includes; Ashanti, Bono, Eastern, Volta, and Western.
The project is expected to create more jobs for the people in rural areas, help in the reduction of urban migration and contribute significantly to the universal access to electricity in the country.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who disclosed this during a Mid week brief on Wednesday morning indicated cabinet has approved the electrification project agreement.
He said the agreement is between the government of Ghana through the Energy Ministry and the China International Water and Electrical Corporation.
He noted “The agreement is part of government’s electrification scheme which started from the 1990s and is aimed at reducing poverty, especially in the rural areas increasing the overall socio-economic development of the country, enhancing the activities in other sectors of the economy such as agriculture, health, education, and tourism. ”
“The scope of the project includes design, manufacture of materials, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning as well as handing over of the project to the beneficiary communities, ” Oppong Nkrumah added.
He, however, indicated that the phase one project that was earmarked to connect communities that covered about 15 districts in the Ashanti, Volta and Western regions is currently about 90% complete with some 441 communities already enjoying a connection to the national grid.
The money for phase two according to the sector minister will be used to finance the supply reception of electrical material and equipment for the electrification projects in these communities.
The electrification project is to be completed within 18 months from the commencement day.