Only two out of the 169 communities in the Talale/Sangule District in the Northern Region are connected to the national electricity grid, while two more are wired for connection.
“Apart from Tatale and Kuyoli townships, no other community has electricity and you can imagine the rippling effects of this situation on the socio-economic life of the people in the district,” Mr Nicholas Waake, Tatale/Sangule District Chief Executive, said.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Waake said although the assembly managed to procure 100 high tension poles, that was not enough as that could only suffice for power extension in the Tatale Township and its surrounding communities.
The Tatale Sangule District, which was carved from the then Zabzugu/Tatale District, is one of the new 46 districts created in 2012 with absolutely no physical infrastructure to function appropriately.
Mr Waake said President Mahama had promised to connect five communities namely; Kandin, Sheini, Sangule, Tatindo and Nahuyili to the national grid as part of the rural electrification programme.
He said 160 more communities would still be without electricity granted that the two wired communities and the five promised by the President were carried out.
He said much as the District Assembly was working around the clock to scale up the connection of electricity, he would also continue to appeal to citizens of the area living in different parts of the country and philanthropists to assist the district to blossom.
Mr Waake mentioned Bikokolimbe, Bidribombe, Nakpale Borele, Bibungbanbe, Nakpale Komamdom, Banyignankidom and Ali Bawadom as some of the surrounding communities that were penciled for the Tatale Town extension programme.
He said apart from its proximity to Togo, which could attract more commercial activities, the Tatale/Sangule District also had deposits of iron ore in Sheini and, when harnessed, could create a number of jobs for the youth in the area and Ghanaians in general.
The DCE said although the assembly had managed to construct a 20-kilometre access road from Tatale to Kandin, it was handicapped in the construction of bridges and culverts and appealed to the Feeder Roads Department of the Ministry of Roads and Highways to come to its support.
He said the construction of bridges and culverts on that road would facilitate the movement of passengers and foodstuff to marketing centres since it would connect over 60 communities.
In the interim, therefore, Mr Waake said the assembly had applied to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to support it with solar lamps, especially to communities with health facilities to save lives.
“You all agree with me that the provision of electricity can open up our communities here commercially and enable them to engage in jobs like welding, fabrication and modeling rather than moving to urban centres for non-existent jobs,” he said.
