Martin Eson-Benjamin
ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS in Ghana will this year heap a sigh of relief with some huge infrastructure projects that the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) is set to undertake.
According to MiDA, the implementing agency of the Ghana Power Compact II, since this year marks the final year of the compact, it is investing US$331.2 million being the remaining amount of the compact fund, into power enhancement and distribution projects .
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MiDA, Martin Eson-Benjamin, who made this known to the media Friday evening in Accra, said his outfit would spend US$308.2 million, while the Government of Ghana provides a counterpart contribution of US$23 million to guarantee reliable power supply.
Mr Eson-Benjamin said part of the fund would go to fix some 14,000 street lights across the country and also help the Energy Commission (EC) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to upgrade their capacity in labelling standards and energy auditing equipment testing.
The MiDA CEO also mentioned the retrofitting of structures at Korle-Bu, University of Ghana and the Ministries to engender efficiency in consumption.
Additonally, Mr Eson-Benjamin said some of the funds would be used to improve access to power in some eight selected markets in Accra and two others in Tamale.
“The projects which we have prioritised after the de-obligation of the US$190 million will, on completion, support the efficient and sustainable delivery of power to ECG’s consumers in the micro, small, medium and large industries and institutions and even for market, economic enclave and domestic consumers,” Mr Eson-Benjamin noted.
He emphasised that though MiDA’s critical execution phase would take place during this election year, his outfit was poised to carry out its assignment to achieve the objective for which the funds were earmarked.
The projects are expected to be completed in a spate of 18 months as specified by the compact.
He has therefore urged the public to exercise restraint as the numerous projects could interrupt power supply in communities where the projects are designed to be carried out.
A business desk report