Regional News of Saturday, 28 August 2004

Source: GNA

Assemblyman appeals for extension of electricity

Tepa (Ash), Aug 28, GNA - Mr Kwaku Adusei Poku, Assemblyman for Kojo Betiako in the Ahafo-Ano North District, has appealed to the District Assembly to extend electricity from the electricity plant at the local health centre to the community.

He said the people were prepared to contribute financially and materially towards the extension and running cost of the plant. Briefing newsmen at Tepa on Friday, Mr Poku said since the plant was supplied to the health centre two years ago, all attempts by the community to negotiate for the extension of power to the community had failed because the medical assistant had taken an entrenched position not to discuss anything on the project with them.

Alhaji Alhassan Musah, the medical assistant, confirmed the concerns of the assemblyman but said the extension of power to the community would not be possible for fear that he could not trust the people to contribute to the running cost of the plant, especially fuel. He agreed that even though the plant was under utilised and was capable of serving the town and even beyond, the centre relied on its own internally generated funds and donor support for the running cost.

Commenting on the matter, Mr Akwasi Adu-Poku, the District Chief Executive, said even though the assembly responded positively to the request of the medical assistant and supplied the plant, it was up to the community to discuss the issue with the District Director of Health Service, since the plant had been officially handed over to them.

In another development, the Assemblyman has appealed to the Regional Office of the Department of Feeder Roads to get a new contractor to work on the Anyinasuso-Abonsuaso feeder road since the contractor had abandoned the project leaving it in a deplorable condition.

He said the contract, which was labour intensive was awarded before the 2000 general election but very little had so far been done on the road.