The first Terminal Tripartite Meeting of the Government of Ghana, UNDP and Global Environment Facility opened in Accra on Tuesday and discussed the Renewable Energy Services Project (RESPRO).

The meeting discussed the experiences and lessons learnt on the project with the objective of incorporating them in future projects. The RESPRO seeks to address sustainable energy paths for social and economic development that can use renewable energy and fuel supply technologies in place of fossil fuel-based electrification.

Opening the meeting, Albert Kan-Dapah, Minister of Energy commended the role of RESPRO in meting the energy needs of most deprived communities, adding that under the project, 80 rural communities in the three Northern regions have solar energy services.

"Indeed, over 1,800 homes, which hitherto relied on inferior lighting systems such as candles and kerosene lanterns, have been provided with solar home systems," saying, "seven remote rural clinics have been equipped with solar PV systems for very critical health activities and refrigeration of vaccines."

Kan-Dapaah said 42 schools have been provided with solar system and, "are now able to study at night. "This should allow them to improve on their performance at school." Kan-Dapaah said when the National Electrification Scheme (NES) was initiated about 10 years ago it was intended to provide the basis for accelerating socio-economic welfare and wealth generation in the rural areas, "and this is what the government intends to pursue."

He said even though its only 17 percent of the rural areas, who have access to electricity, this would be changed through the RESPRO project. Kan-Dapaah said the biggest challenge was the huge financial support that a wider use of solar PV systems in any country demanded.

The MP for Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo, Namburr Berrick said the project did not meet the full impact of its target. He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview after the meeting that the people could not even use irons since they needed 10,000 watts to charge a pressing iron.

"But the maximum that the RESPRO project is providing for the communities is 100 watts. What they have now can only power small fridges and some types of TV sets." He said the schools mentioned as having electricity only have them in their compounds and not wired to their classrooms where they can have an effective use.

"They will need extra panels to generate extra wattage for such purposes." Berrick said government should go ahead and ensure that the full benefits other communities enjoyed when connected to the national grid, should be available to the rural communities in the three Northern Regions.

He said residents pay 25,000 cedis for 100 watts and 15,000 cedis for 50 watts. Berrick was not happy with the low level of involvement of the community in responding to the power needs of the people in the area, saying invitations to consultative meetings often came after they had taken place. "I therefore urge government to increase its portion of funding for such projects to create a level playing field for all communities," he added