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The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Atanga Akamugre, has made a passionate appeal to the Minister for Energy and Green Transition to urgently address all outstanding issues under the government’s Rural Electrification Project in the region. Mr. Akamugre made the appeal while speaking at a public hearing organized by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in Bolgatanga as part of the Commission’s ongoing Multi-Year Tariff Review Program. The event brought together key stakeholders from the utility sector, including representatives from the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), the Volta River Authority (VRA), and members of the public. According to the regional minister, despite progress made over the years in extending electricity to rural communities, several areas in the Upper East Region still remain without power due to incomplete connections and delays in the delivery of transformers, poles, and cables. “As of the end of 2024, the region’s electricity coverage stood at around 66.5%, which is far below the national average of 89%. Currently, over 800 communities and sections in the region are yet to be connected to the national grid,” he said. “I also want to use this opportunity to appeal to the Minister for Energy and the Green Transition to review and address all outstanding issues under the Rural Electrification Project, in which most of these communities were captured but unfortunately stalled under the erstwhile administration.” Mr. Akamugre expressed concern that the lack of reliable electricity continues to affect schools, health facilities, and small-scale businesses, especially in the more remote parts of the region. He stressed that until these communities are fully connected to the national grid, the government’s efforts to bridge the rural–urban development gap would remain incomplete. The Minister therefore urged the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition and its implementing agencies to expedite the completion of the remaining electrification works. “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, while water is required to support agriculture, drive local industries, and sustain our lives, electricity is needed to power our schools, hospitals, businesses, and offices,” he stated. Mr. Akamugre also called on Ghana Water PLC to address challenges facing underserved communities in accessing potable water. “It will also interest you to note that while the region’s rural water coverage stood at 63.9% as of 2024, according to statistics from the Ghana Community Water and Sanitation Agency, the safety of the water remains a challenge due to contamination from fluoride and chloroform. This is an issue we must address to safeguard the health of rural and peri-urban residents,” he noted. During the hearing, participants raised concerns about persistent power outages, high utility tariffs, and poor customer service from power distributors. Some residents lamented that even after being connected to the grid, inconsistent power supply continues to disrupt livelihoods and economic activities. Officials from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) assured participants that all feedback gathered during the nationwide public hearings would inform the final decision on the proposed new tariffs for electricity and water. The Bolgatanga session forms part of a nationwide series of consultations being held by the Commission ahead of the 2026–2030 tariff period. The Upper East Region has benefited from various phases of the Rural Electrification Project, but many communities—particularly in the Builsa, Nabdam, Garu, and Tempane Districts—remain off the grid despite earlier surveys and pole installations. Source: a1radioonline.com|Samuel Adagom|Bolgatanga
