Ghana nominated for Third Power Compact

Ghana has been nominated for a Third Power Compact under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) alongside four other West African countries, including Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Benin and Niger.

Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), announced this at a media stakeholders’ engagement in Accra.

He said out of the five countries two would be selected and Ghana stands a good chance of being selected, only if she successfully implemented the ongoing Power Compact II.

Mr Eson-Benjamin, therefore, urged the implementing entities and stakeholders under the Compact to rally behind the Authority to execute quality projects so that Ghana could benefit from the $536 million grant.

Updating the media on the Authority’s Action Plan for this year, he said it was left with 32 months to the end of the Power Compact II, noting that, 60 per cent preliminary works had been done in the past two years and would leverage on it to complete the Compact on schedule.

He said it had fruitful engagements with the implementing entities and key stakeholders, and that negotiation is ongoing for the commencement of work on the largest electricity bulk supply point at Pokuase in March this year.

Again, additional four primary sub-stations would be built in Kotobabi, Korle-Gonno, Achimota and Kanda to enhance power distribution and minimize power leakages in Accra.

Mr Eson-Benjamin said another bulk supply point would be built in Kasoa to supply reliable power to surrounding communities.

More so, there would be refurbishment of 10 power transmission lines to ensure efficiency in power distribution, while a data distribution centre would be built in Accra to coordinate power transmission and monitor faulty lines of the Ghana Electricity Company (ECG) and to halt illegal power connections.

A Metre Monitoring System, he said would be constructed in Accra to coordinate the 14 different metering systems in the country for easy tracing of illegal power connections and detect faulty lines for prompt repairs.

Those infrastructure, Mr Eson-Benjamin said would turn around the operations of the ECG for efficient service delivery.

He said new equipment and refurbishment of power distribution system for the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) would boost power supply in the northern part of the country.

The MiDA CEO said the Authority has been working with the Ghana Standard Authority to ensure all equipment and machines installed were up to standard.

Mr Eson-Benjamin said buildings of some ministries would be retrofitted to improve energy efficiency.

The beneficiaries Ministries include Education and Health; however, specific public institutions such as Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, University of Ghana and Ghana Education Service would be captured.

He said the retrofitting exercise would start in six months because the contractor would undergo procurement processes before actual work on the ground.

Mr Eson-Benjamin announced that 18,000 LCD street lights would be fixed across the country while the capacity of staff of the Public Utility and Regulatory Commission (PURC) would be enhanced to ensure efficient tariff regime.

Additionally, some 10 market centres, eight of which are in the Greater Accra Region and two in Tamale would be fixed with new metres to curtail fire outbreaks.

Mr Eson-Benjamin gave the assurance that the Authority would work with the implementing entities to complete the earmarked projects before the end of the Compact deadline.