US supports power sector with $497 million investment

The United States (US) is supporting the nation’s power sector with an investment of $497 million to aid its transformation - to assure the people and businesses of reliable electricity supply.

Mr. Robert Porter Jackson, the US Ambassador, said this was coming under the “President Obama’s Power Africa Initiative”, designed to boost electrical power supply across the continent.

He noted that inadequate and erratic energy flow was unhelpful to economic growth and said it was for this reason that every effort must be made to radically improve the energy situation.

The Ambassador was addressing students and faculty members of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi.

He was in the city to interact and explain to sections of the population including the traditional authorities, his country’s policy towards Ghana in the areas of education, health, good governance, peace and security.

Mr. Jackson said they were determined to give strong backing to trade and investment promotion to create wealth and jobs for the people.

He expressed satisfaction with the increase in regional trade in agricultural products resulting from the USAID’s West Africa Trade Hub and the Feed the Future programme.

“We want to help create the environment in which businesses thrive.”

He pledged continued support for initiatives to roll back malaria, improve nutrition and control the spread of HIV/AIDS infection.