Upper East RCC rejects substandard electric poles

The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) has asked Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the region to reject substandard electricity poles that were procured by them through contractors working under the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP).

The Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Syme, disclosed this at a forum on power distribution in the north, organised by the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO), in Bolgatanga.

Mr Syme explained that the delay in the execution of the SHEP was due to the procurement of substandard electricity poles by the assemblies.

He said the various MDAs had also been directed by the RCC to consult the VRA/NEDCO to assist them to procure standardize electricity poles for the project.

The Upper East regional Area Manager of VRA/NEDCO, Mr Bukari Danladi, said his outfit was ready to offer free consultancy services to the MDAs to procure standardized electricity poles.

He said the VRA./NEDECO would work with the   Energy Commission and the Ghana Standard Board to procure electricity poles.

Director of Finance and Commercial of VRA/NEDCO, Mr Francis Kusi, who spoke on the   theme:  “Power Distribution in the North, the Past, the Present and the Future”,   said that there was the need for the company to increase tariffs to be able to render quality service.

The operations of VRA/NEDCO cover Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper West and Upper Eastern regions; parts of the Volta, Ashanti and Western Regions.

VRA/NEDCO supplies electricity to communities in Northern part of Togo and Burkina Faso.

Source: GNA