When Will The Stalled Rural Electrification Projects In Amenfi East Be Completed”~~~~ Nicholas Amankwah Question’s Minister*

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The Member of Parliament for Wassa Amenfi East Constituency in Western Region Region, Hon Nicholas Amankwah has demanded answers from the Minister responsible for Energy, when some communities in his area without electricity will be connected onto the national grid.

The energy minister, Mathew Opoku Prempeh appearing before the August house to answer questions on rural electrification projects was as a result of number of the population in the twelve communities were struggling to get access to electricity in Amenfi East constituency.

Posing questions at the sector Minister on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, 9th March, 2023, the Amenfi East MP who is popularly known as Home Boy sought from the Ministry of Energy to fast track the electricity supply to the neglected communities.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Energy when the stalled Rural Electrification Projects (SHEP) in the following communities in Amenfi East constituency will be completed (I) Abeneso (ii) Saa-Anwiam (iii) Ethiopia Forest (iv) Togi (v) KTK (vi) Camp OPV (vii) Asomdwe (viii) Mangoase (ix) Nyame-Tease (x) Beposo-ChiefKrom (xi) Kumawu (xii) Krofrom, I thank you Mr. Speaker.”

Hon. Mathew Opoku Prempeh responding to the questions said, “the affected communities forms part of self projects for the Amenfi East district. 276 high tension poles for the Communities have been supplied to the site but are yet to be planted” he told the house.

The minister indicated that additionally, 650 low tension poles requires for the communities have been supplied with 561 planted at the site.

However, the minister reveals that shortage of some “key materials” to complete the projects are the main reasons why the halted projects continue to suffer the delays.

Meanwhile, Dr. Opoku Prempeh outlining assurance to give some relief to the wired MP, he told the house that his sector is taking delivery of such materials to complete the rural electrification projects and it’s expected for commissioning by the end of 2023 this year.

In the case of Kumawu, the minister declared that the community was omitted from the rural electrification program but, however, he admitted to note for subsequent phases for completion.

In his follow up question to the minister’s response, the Amenfi East MP probed further that, the aforementioned projects have been in the mercies of rain and scotch since 2016 without attended to therefore, he questioned the minister to come clean with solid backing on why the projects continue to be abandoned.

In his final response, the sector Minister reemphasize that the challenges beforehand has to do with shortage of key materials such as transformers, metering system and other electrical equipment which the ministry is working to address.

To this end, Mathew Opoku Prempeh assured the MP and the House on the ministry’s readiness to marshal efforts and attention to complete the projects as scheduled to provide electricity for his constituents in the shortest possible time.

Source: *Kaakyire Kwasi Afari, Afeema FM.*