582 communities to benefit from $103m electrification project

Five hundred and eighty two communities in five regions are expected to benefit from a $103 million rural electrification project.

The project which is an agreement between the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Energy and the China International Water and Electric Corporation would benefit communities in the Ashanti, Bono, Eastern, Volta and Western Regions.

The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday said the project which is in its second phase has already benefited 495 communities.

"The phase one project was earmarked to connect 495 communities in 15 Districts of the Ashanti, Eastern, Volta and Western Regions which is about 90 percent complete with 441 communities already connected to the national grid."

"The money for phase 2 will be used to finance the supply and reception of electrical materials and equipment for the electrification projects in these communities," he added.

Mr Oppong-Nkrumah noted that the electrification project is part of government’s National Electrification Scheme since 1990 and is aimed at reducing poverty especially in rural areas.

“Government believes the scheme will also create jobs in the rural areas, thus reducing the rate of rural to urban migration and most importantly contribute significantly towards the achievement of universal access to electricity, a minimum of 90 per cent by 2020,” he added.

He said the scope of the project includes design, manufacture, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning, as well as handing over of the electrification project to the beneficiary communities.

The project is expected to be completed within 18 months from commencement date.