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MP drags Energy Minister to parliament over lack of electricity in Sissala West

By Nyaaba Felix
Politics MP drags Energy Minister to parliament over lack of electricity in Sissala West
JUN 17, 2021 LISTEN

Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Hon Adam Mohammed Sukparu has summoned the Minister for Energy to Parliament over non-supply of power to five communities in the constituency.

According to the MP, the darkness in the communities is giving room for criminal activities as armed robbers hide in the dark and attack farmers and traders.

The five communities includes Paana, Sangbaka, Kuni, and Gbele.

He indicated that the situation is making it difficult for the communities to develop in all sectors.

Hon Sukparu said successive governments promised to extend electricity to the area but failed.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Energy when the following communities in the Sissala West Constituency will be connected to the national grid Paana, Sangbaka, Kuni and Gbele?” the MP asked.

In response, the Minister for Energy, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempreh said the Paana, Sangbaka, Kuni and Gbele communities formed part of the Ministry of Energy’s ongoing Self Help Project (SHEP-5) under the Rural Electrification Project in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region.

According to the sector Minister, “All the High Voltage (HV) poles required for the project have been supplied and planted at the site.”

He said pole-top materials have been supplied and the HV network completely strung at the Gbelle community, adding that the transformer for Gbelle community has also been installed but not yet energized.

“Mr. Speaker, some HV pole-top materials have been supplied to the remaining communities but stringing of the networks is yet to commence. Most of the Low Voltage (LV) poles required have been supplied and planted in all the communities. The Ministry is however yet to supply LV pole-top accessories to allow for stringing to commence,” he added.

Dr. Prempreh explained that the delays in the execution of the electrification project in the five communities are a result of a shortage of some key materials and equipment including conductors, stay wire, LV poles, etc.

The Ministry, he noted “is taking some deliveries of materials/equipment and will arrange for the release of same for installation works to resume at site.”

He however assured the people of the five communities that the project is expected to complete the installation works in the five communities by end of the year 2021.

Rural electrification

He said connecting the communities on the national grid would further boost the local economy as traders would have the opportunity to sell in the evening and also more cold stores and drinking spots expand.

Source: expressnewsghana.com

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