Deputy Minister of Energy in charge of Power, William Owuraku Aidoo, has commissioned a $2.3 million electrification project at New Abirem Constituency in the Eastern Region.
The project connected 25 rural communities across the constituency to electricity and is expected to benefit over 2,000 inhabitants of the area.
Among the beneficiary communities are; Koti Ye Aboa, Hyoa Ye Mmobo, Etwe NimNyansa, Teimuni, Abohema, Dodoworaso, Bramkrom, Addokrom, Amanfokrom and Domeabra.
Other beneficiary communities are; Bepotuntum, Asuabena, Botwekrom, Asarekrom, Papa Doku, Atta Yaw, Dagadu, Alhaji, Yaw Agyemang, Agya Thomas, Osei Yaw, Oseikrom, AbenaTewia and Yaw Broni.
Addressing the chiefs and people at separate durbars at Koti Ye Aboa and Abohema, the Deputy Energy Minister advised the people to take advantage of the opportunity government had offered them to create jobs and employment opportunities for the youth.
He said the connection of the communities to the national grid would pave way for many development projects to be established for the people and government was committed to ensuring universal access to electricity in the country.
He urged the people to pay their bills promptly so that more revenue could be generated to extend power to other communities in the country.
The Member of Parliament for the Abirem Constituency, Mr John Osei Frimpong said, 17 communities which included; Tawiakrom, Obuo Betwao and Mampong which were not part of the first phase will be captured in the second phase.
He said lots of development projects were initiated in the district in the areas of education, health and sanitation to help improve the livelihood of the people.
The Birim North District Chief Executive (DCE), Nana Raymond Damptey, urged the communities to make the best use of the power to benefit economically.
He advised parents in the area to ensure that their children used the lights to study and not to focus on entertainment programmes on television which could affect their education.
The Eastern Regional Marketing Manager of the Power Distribution Services (PDS), Ghana, Mr Abraham Lincoln advised the people to use the power economically to avoid exorbitant bills.
The Chief of Pankese, Nana Dr Boakye Darkwa III, commended the government for the project and highlighted on some challenges facing the area as; schools, bad roads and lack of health facilities.
The Odikro of Koti Ya Aboa, Nana Kofi Marfo expressed the hope that the electricity would enable students in the area to study and improve on their performance to enable more young people from the area to get to the tertiary level.
