The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), the implementing agency for the Ghana Power Compact II and its partners have engaged with a cross-section of residents and community leaders at Larteh Akuapem in the Akuapem North Municipality about the ongoing Low Voltage Bifurcation (LVB) Project in the area at a Town Hall Meeting.
The engagement which saw officials of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Power Factor (GH) Ltd, the Works Contractor for the LVB Project, also in attendance was to raise awareness and deepen community knowledge of the objectives behind the project.
Organized by Colan Consult, one of the four Community Engagement and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) Consultants for MiDA, the meeting discussed the project’s benefits, expected impacts on their assets and livelihoods, measures put in place by the project to manage the impacts and threw light on any other issues that may concern Project Affected Persons (PAPs).
Community Leaders and ECG’s customers had pertinent questions answered during the meeting.
Representatives of a Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) set up by the project to manage grievances that may emanate from the project, were out-doored to the gathering.
The LV Bifurcation Project being implemented by MiDA in seven districts of ECG’s Southern Distribution Area, will directly benefit an estimated 560,000 Customers, living in 53 towns and communities.
The beneficiary ECG districts are Kaneshie, Dansoman, Achimota, Mampong Akuapem, Roman Ridge, Kwabenya and Legon.
Frequent power outages, resulting from the inability of existing transformers to carry loads from increasing electricity demand in these areas, distribution losses and poor-quality lighting, are some of the challenges being addressed through the project.
The Chief Executive Officer of MiDA, Martin Eson-Benjamin, explained that the Project was being carried out in collaboration with the major beneficiary, ECG.
“We are installing 24 higher capacity transformers in Larteh and Akropong to improve the quality of electricity in these two towns and ensure Customer satisfaction.” he said.
He also explained that the project was being implemented in needy communities selected by ECG, adding that “the use of Compact funds will enable ECG to invest its own resources for planned service upgrades in other communities.
He called for cooperation and forbearance from the communities, as the implementation of the projects will be accompanied occasionally, by planned outages.
Mr. Eson-Benjamin added that the interventions under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funded Compact Program are necessary and the beneficiary communities are implored to accept the challenges that the occasional outages, to be carefully supervised by ECG, may bring. However, every effort will be made to advise and inform the affected communities well ahead of any planned outages.
Ing. Mark Wilson, the Mampong Akuapem District Manager of ECG, expressed ECG’s appreciation for MiDA’s intervention in the fast-growing Larteh Township and reiterated the need for the community’s support and collaboration during the implementation of the much-needed LVB Project.
Ing. Wilson was particularly thankful to the Chiefs, the Elders and customers in Larteh for the excellent support and cooperation they have given to the utility company during the many years of power supply to the Larteh Township.
The LV Bifurcation Project is one of the four Sub-Project Activities that make up the ECG Financial and Operational Turnaround (EFOT) Project and is being funded by the US Government’s the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), through the US$308 million Ghana Power Compact Program.
The LV Bifurcation Project Activities in all the selected ECG Districts are expected to be completed by August 2020.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com