Government to embark on systematic deployment of streets lights
Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has said the government would soon embark on systematic deployment of street lights with the objective of increasing road safety, particularly in the regional and metropolitan district capitals.
He said the gesture would make for street light maintenance, repairs and development, to promote proper illumination of streets in cities, communities and towns to ensure road safety and security at nights.
Dr Agyemang-Mensah said these in a speech read on his behalf at a sensitization forum on the a Draft Policy Framework on streets lights in Ghana, held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi on Tuesday.
The draft was entitled, “Streets Lights in Ghana – Policy Framework”.
The Forum, which was organized by the Ministry of Energy in Partnership with the Energy Commission, was aimed at deliberating on the smooth implementation of the draft when it is finally adopted and come out with ideas on the efficient management of street lights in the country.
It was attended by traditional authorities, religious leaders, municipal and metropolitan district executives and officials from the Electricity Company of Ghana as well as the insurance companies.
Dr Agyeman Mensah expressed the hope that participants at the forum would come out with ideas to enable the government to extend streets light coverage to all the nooks and crannies of the country.
Mr Ofosu Ahenkorah, Executive Director of Energy Commission, said street lights were critical social amenity or security and lauded the idea of policy framework to regulate and guide them in the country.
He said funds for street lighting would come from a street lighting levy which would be part of the electricity bill. `
Mr Ahenkorah said the there should be a policy direction which should include mechanism to repair damaged street lights.
He mentioned lack of comprehensive regulatory framework, lack of efficient mechanism to prevent theft, damage of street lights and lack of ownership and maintenance at the local level as some of the challenges of ensuring proper care of street lights in the country.
He called on public to be vigilant and arrest persons who destroyed or vandalize street light for them to face the law.
Participants at the forum called on the government to come out with measures to ensure that every member of beneficiary communities paid a levy on street lights.
Source: GNA