The District Chief Executive of Kumbungu in the Northern Region has begun the connection of some 35 communities to the national electricity grid under the Rural Electrification Project.
The four-day exercise, which started on Monday is expected to end on Thursday.
Mr. Abdul Salam Hamza Fatawu commissioned the electricity of Kpachi, Kokpeng, Kochim A and B, Zoo Naayili, Tignyoring, Timonaayili, Dinyo Kpaligu, Fandu and Zangbalung Kukuo on day one of the exercise.
The exercise categorised into four phases with the District Chief Executive also commissioning 10 communities on phase two yesterday Tuesday, 9 communities on phase three on Wednesday and five communities on phase four on Thursday making a total of 35 communities in less than two years of his second tenure as DCE for the area.
The DCE in an interview told THE CUSTODIAN electricity has become very critical to the socioeconomic activities of the people looking at the backward nature of the local economy.
He said the local women have struggled for several years to access electricity to process their farm produce for both commercial purposes and domestic consumption.
According to Mr. Hamza Fatawu, some of the rural folks walk for about four miles or sometimes more than to get their commodities processed to earn a living.
“So today in fact will a day that they will become immensely relieved (because all those sufferings) will become a thing of the past. The local economy would become buoyant because they now have access to rural electrification” he said.
He added students who hitherto will rely on lanterns will now have electricity in their homes to study at all times to enhance their academic performance and make them excel in their educational careers.
He said the security situation in the various communities would be remarkably enhanced explaining security is threatened when there is darkness and emphasized the coming of electricity will scare away criminals and dangerous reptiles and improve the general security of the beneficiary communities.
Infrastructure
The District Chief Executive also highlighted the enormous infrastructure projects in the areas of roads, schools and health.
According to him, the Akufo-Addo government since 2017 has done more road networks than any other government.
Mr. Hamza Fatawu said the government has done 10km of the Kumbungu-Gbullung-Tolon road with its phase two under consideration for construction. He added the Kumbungu township roads have also been awarded for construction.
He argued since 1974, no political authority in the erstwhile Tolon-Kumbungu district and now Kumbungu district made any attempt to open up the district capital an account he stated makes the town roads contract a historic one.
“The road that links Gbullung and the UDS Nyankpala campus is also halfway done; we have a road links Tibungu to Lingbinga in the Tolon district – that road has also been awarded, the contractor is about finishing the concrete works and when that is done about 4km would be tiled to enable go about their activities” he stated.
Meanwhile, the beneficiary communities expressed their excitement and thanked the DCE and for that matter government for extending electricity to them.
The youth of the communities presented a citation the DCE to express their gratitude for his hard work and sterling performance.
