News:
August 1, 2018
Drama unfolded on the floor of Parliament when names of some communities named after human sex organs in the Abirem Constituency in the Eastern Region were mentioned.
Prior to the question being allowed or disallowed, Members of Parliament from the Minority and Majority side could be seen on the floor looking at the order paper and laughing among themselves, and showing keen interest in the question and how it was going to be answered.
Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that the mention of the communities could amount to chaos if allowed to be mentioned on the floor of the House.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu indicated to the House that since they were communities and the MP representing those communities should be seen as working the question should be allowed on the floor of the House.
The Member of Parliament for Abirem John Frimpong Osei wanted to know if there was plan to connect the following communities with off- grid electricity;, “Etwe Nim Nyansa, Kote ye Aboa, Hwoa ye Mmobo, Akyekyeresu, Tetteh Brofo, Asarekrom, Alhajikrom and Yaw Broni, since it was difficult connecting them to the national grid.
First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu who was in the chair directed that the names be mentioned and the question taken since they are only community names.
Minister of Energy Boakye Agyarko at the initial stage find it difficult to mention the names of the communities, but with the pressure from both Majority and Minority MPs who looked so excited with the mention of names had no option than to mention the names.
He noted that the objective of the National Electrification Scheme (NES) towards the achievement of the universal access is to provide electricity to all the communities either through the National grid extension or off-grid or mini-grid solutions for remote or island communities.
And added that for the Abirem constituency which are difficult to be connected to the national grid, the Ministry will explore the possibility of connecting them through off-grid or mini-grid solutions.
He further said the Ministry would conduct engineering survey to determine the best means of providing electricity to the above communities in line with the electrification programme.
By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com