Let ECG account for the street light levies-MPs

Accra, March 1, GNA- Parliament on Wednesday expressed concerned about the absence of light on the streets in the night, as some Members called for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to account for what use the street light levy deductions have been put.

Both Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko, Minister of State, and Mr Joe Gidisu NDC-Central Tongu, concurred to the ECG to explain the use of street light levy, in a contribution to a statement on the "dark street phenomenon" in the country, by Mr Dawuda Iddrisu, NDC-Karaga.

Mr Iddrisu had said in the statement; "be as it may, the darkness on our streets is really putting this country in bad light in the commity of nations.

"I say this because I was shocked to realize that if you are to visit the official websites of some countries like Australia, Canada and the United States of America and read the kind of caution they give to their citizens who want to travel to Ghana because of our poorly lit streets, you could be very embarrassed as a Ghanaian."

In a correlation between the dark streets and the increase in crime rates, road accidents and low economic activity, Mr Iddrisu called for tasking the various agencies responsible for maintaining the few street lights to be "up and doing".

" We should begin to task the various agencies responsible for maintaining the few street lights most of whom are out of order to be up and doing or face the consequences since Ghanaians pay taxes (specifically road tolls) which are supposed to cater for this.

"The Ministry of Roads and Transport and the various Municipal Authorities who have oversight maintenance responsibility must be tasked to be up and doing. It is also for agencies to ensure that the companies who win contracts to install street lights also have a maintenance clause in these contracts and that where these clauses ready exist, there is strict compliance", Mr Iddrisu said.

Mr Adjei Darko suggested to households and estate contractors not to leave the construction of streets in the hands of Government only, and urged each household to acquire the relatively affordable photocell technology that could provide light even during power outages.

Mr Gidisu, in his statement expressed concern about leaving streetlights on in some areas, underlined conservation of electricity, and urged individuals to see how they could generate their own support for the provision of streetlights. Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, NDC-Asawase, said the issue of the absence of street light was getting out of hand and affecting the major cities apart from the highways, putting pedestrians at great risk of being knocked down by vehicles.

He said there was no streetlight on the Anloga Junction to Airport Road in Kumasi, which fell in his constituency despite numerous appeals to the Kumasi Metropolitan Authority and the Department of Urban Roads.

Alhaji Mubarak also expressed concern about the lack of streetlights in the Sakumono Estates, where he said, close to 100 members of the Legislature resided.

He said the situation predisposed their MPs to thievery and thuggery, and urged the District Assemblies and the Metropolitan Assemblies to see to solve the problem once and for all.

Mr Isaac Asiamah, NPP- Atwima Mponua, suggested that even in times of power outages, traffic lights should be made to be working to put a check on deviants who may take advantage of the darkness and indulge ion nefarious activities.

Meanwhile Acting Minster of Transport, Mr Felix Owusu-Agyapong, on Wednesday answered questions on the progress of work on Kete Krachi town roads; the Twifo Praso -Foso, Twifo Praso-Morkwaa-Agona-Dounkwa; Twifo Praso-Nyenasi-Kayireku-Eyire, Twifo Praso-Manpoma-Ayaase-Dunkwa roads in the Central Region.

He said the about 80 per cent of the work on the Nyameani-Beposo Feeder Road is completed.

Mr. Owusu -Agyapong said the road was awarded for rehabilitation in June 2004 and scheduled for completion in June 206 at a contract sum of 3.74 billion.

He said the contractor has resumed work and as at January 16, 2007, he had completed all the 14 No culvert and gravelled five kilometre stretch. Gravel has been piled on three-kilometre stretch ready to be spread. Mr Owusu-Agyapong said payment to date was 732.7 million cedis, and added that the delay in the completion of the project was due to litigation on the site of gravel acquisition in the area.