Government supports brothers who used cassava to generate electricity

Two brothers, James and Kwesi Ansah who came up with an innovative way of generating electricity from cassava waste are currently on a government support programme where the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation is helping them actualise that project.

It will be recalled that some months ago BBC Pidgin journalist, Favour Nunoo interviewed the boys who hail from Koforidua in the Eastern Region on how they are able to use root vegetables to create electricity that can light their bulbs, power radios and mobile phones in their village.

Naming their project ‘JK2 table power’, the brothers said they came up with the idea when they realised that cassava is produced in abundance in Ghana and has the properties of an electrolyte which made them figure out a way to use excess cassava to produce electricity from ordinary items like copper wires, wood and plastic gallons.

According to them, their long-term goal is to be able to produce cheap electricity supply for schools, hospitals, villages and all people who lack adequate electricity supply in the country.

Speaking at a BBC Pidgin session as part of activities to mark the Social Media Week celebrations, BBC Pidgin journalists explained how they entered the West Africa news market with digital content that made impacts on the lives of people they did stories on.

Citing examples on stories that made impacts on the lives of people they interviewed, Favour Nunoo revealed that the two young brothers are not only on a government support programme but also are currently working with an engineer in the country where they now earn a monthly salary.

According to him, the boys have signed contracts with the engineer and have worked on two prototypes of the machine and a different one else.

He further revealed that the lives of the boys have completely being transformed and are now able to take care of their mother.