2,000 Farming communities to get solar street lights
Over 2,000 cocoa, coffee and shea-nut growing communities, which are not hooked to the national grid in the country, are to benefit from solar street lights to improve the overall livelihood of farmers.
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Other beneficiaries included schoolchildren, teachers and health personnel in most deprived and rural communities.
In line with that, 11,000 units have already being installed to also improve the economic activities of cocoa, coffee and shea-nut farmers.
This is a collaborated programme between the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) and the Strategic Security Systems International Limited (3SiL).
Apart from that, Cocobod and 3SiL have already distributed 1.2 million torch lights to cocoa, coffee and shea-nut farmers across the country.
The 3SiL began the project in 2008 and installed 7, 000 solar lights, whose batteries can last for over 10 years.
Speaking at an awareness conference on solar street lighting for stakeholders in cocoa, coffee and shea-nut producing communities in Kumasi, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Yaw Adusei, commended both Cocobod and 3SiL for the programme.
He gave an assurance that government would work closely with both partners of the programme to improve cocoa, coffee and shea-nut production in the country.
The Chief Executive of 3SiL, Mr Francis Akuamoah Boateng, indicated that some of the lights would be installed at community centres, chiefs’ palaces, school compounds, health centres, churches, mosques, boreholes, stand pipes and KVIP areas.
By Joseph Kyei-Boateng/Daily Graphic/Ghana