Nyitavuta gets solar lamps following Joy News' report

It used to be pitch-dark at night in farming community Nyitavuta, sited in the heart of a forest in the Akatsi North District of the Volta Region.

But it’s now a glowing enclave, thanks to a Joy News’ documentary.

Nyitavuta lacks many social amenities including electricity, clean water, sanitary facilities, road infrastructure, health post, among others.

The plight of the residents was highlighted last year in a Joy News documentary produced by Joseph Opoku Gakpo, entitled “Jungle Poor.”

“Jungle Poor” assessed Ghana’s efforts at meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which expired last year.

Residents complained snakes invaded the community at night because of the absence of electricity. Darkness at night also made it impossible for school children to learn at night.

Below is a link to the full documentary.

But following the documentary, charity organisation Cooper Union has provided 25 locally manufactured solar lamps and a solar panel to the community.

An electrical engineer who leads the organisation, Prof. Tode Cumberbatch and his team were in the community on last weekend to donate the solar lamps to them.

A charging station for the lamps attached to a mobile phone charging spot was also manufactured by the team.

The team spent two days in the community to install a solar panel which is connected to the charging station to harness solar energy to charge the lamps and mobile phones as well.

Joy News’ Volta regional correspondent, Fred Quame Asare, who was in the community with the team reports some members of the community were also trained to help with assembling of the solar lamps.

“We wanted to put in a new system and my colleague Dr. (Felix) Akorli had seen the previous documentary on Joy News, and that’s what got him into contact with the District Chief Executive (DCE),” Prof. Tode Cumberbatch said.

The DCE, James Gunu, expressed gratitude to the team for their kind gesture.

The residents were also happy to have lamps now. “It will help the school children to learn properly and promite education,” a resident told Joy News.

Below is Fred Quame Asare’s video report.