Accra (Greater Accra) 3rd July '99

Mr Fred Ohene-Kena, Minister of Mines and Energy, on Friday announced that current exploration work has established that the Obenemase Mine in Ashanti has 1.5 million tonnes of mineral reserve of sulphide ore.

He said work is continuing to determine whether there is enough ore to allow for project development at the mine.

The minister was responding to a question by Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, NPP-Asante Akyem North, who wanted to know the future of Obenemase Goldmine Company Limited.

Mr Ohene-Kena said the Obenemase Goldmines have held the Konongo gold mining lease since 1994 and has currently spent 19 million dollars on exploration and project development.

Resolute Mining Company in Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region has funded a new exploration and development programme on the Obenemase lease with the view to establishing a new gold mining project.

Asked why some towns in Asutifi North have not been provided with electricity, even though the national grid from Sunyani to Mim in the Brong Ahafo Region passes through them, Mr Ohene-Kena explained that the line is not a sub-transmission one and therefore cannot be teed off to supply power to the towns.

He said the existing Sunyani-Mim line is a 161kv transmission line, but it is currently being operated at 34.5kv to supply electricity to Mim.

The minister, however, assured the questioner that Kensere, Atronie, Asamang, Kramokrom, Osei Yawkrom and Nweneso, are being considered for supply by either extending a sub-transmission line from Kenyasi through Wamahinso or a 34.5kv line feedback from Mim.

He said the project is scheduled for the next phase of the National Electrification Project (NEP).

Under the National Electrification Scheme (NES), the ministry has planned to provide electricity to every community with a population of 500 and above over a 30-year period, which began in 1990.

Mr Ohene-Kena said depending on the cost of electrification, each community has been scheduled to be connected at a specific period within the 30-year time frame.

Under the master-plan for implementing the national electrification scheme, the towns are scheduled for electrification not earlier than 2010.

However, communities which wish to be considered for electrification earlier than their normal schedule in the master plan may apply to join the self-help electrification programme (SHEP), which requires interested communities to satisfy certain conditions.

An interested community should be within 20 kilometres of an existing 11/33 kv network. It should be able to buy its own low-tension poles, and a minimum of 30 per cent of the houses in the community should be wired up.