Residents of Nungu in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region are calling on the government to complete the electricity project started in the community about a decade ago, saying they have remained without power despite the installation of electricity poles and a transformer.
The residents say the lack of electricity is affecting the development of the community, particularly the economic opportunities. A resident, Awal Mustapha, said the community was promised electricity and that a transformer and poles were brought to the area in 2016. However, the transformer and electrical poles have never been connected to the national grid to provide electricity to the community.
“In 2016, they came with a transformer and poles and said that they would give us electricity. Up to now, they have not given us electricity,” he said.
Mr. Awal said the absence of electricity has made it difficult for the community to attract some government workers, particularly teachers and nurses, with some declining postings to the area because of the lack of electricity and network connectivity.
“We are pleading with them to come to our aid and give us electricity to help us. Some of the teachers who are posted here say they will not come because there is no electricity, and nurses also say they will not come because of the lack of electricity,” he said.
Mr. Awal is calling on the Member of Parliament and District Chief Executive for Talensi as well as the Upper East Regional Minister to intervene and ensure that the community is connected to the national grid. He recalled that the Regional Minister visited the community last year and expressed surprise that Nungu was still without electricity.
The prolonged delay, he said, has increased frustration among residents, with some now saying, “No electricity, no vote in 2028.” Assembly Member for the Datuko Electoral Area, Ayariga Mahamadu, confirmed that the electricity project has remained stalled for almost 10 years, with the community still not connected to the national grid.
“It was during the first term of the John Mahama NDC government that they started the process of electrifying the community and connecting us to the national grid. Then, ahead of the 2016 election, the NDC lost power, and everything halted and came to a standstill,” he said.
Mr. Ayariga said the then District Chief Executive and the Assembly worked during the subsequent eight years of the NPP administration to secure electricity for the affected communities, but the project was not completed. He said the change in government should no longer be allowed to delay the project, adding that residents believe the time has come for the affected communities to benefit from national development.
Responding to the concerns, the District Chief Executive for Talensi District, John Millim Nabwomya, said efforts are underway to complete the stalled electrification project in Nungu and the other affected communities.
He said he and the Member of Parliament, Daniel Dung Mahama, engaged the Energy Ministry in Accra in July to push for the revival of the stalled projects. Following that engagement, contractors reviewed the outstanding work and submitted a list of materials needed to complete it.
“The revision work was carried out, and the same has been sent to the Energy Ministry in Accra for them to provide the remaining materials for them to connect those that have not been connected all this while,” he said.
Mr. Nabwomya said the Assembly is continuing to push for the remaining materials to be released so that contractors can return to site and complete the work, adding that the project is expected to be completed very soon.
“We are still pushing, urging the powers that be to make sure that the materials are provided to the contractors when they come to complete the work for us,” he said.
For residents of Nungu, the completion of the project remains a pressing demand as the community continues to wait for the electricity infrastructure installed years ago to be connected and put into use.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Simon Ayamdoo|Nungu
