As the Ghana-US power compact agreement comes to an end in 18 months’ time, the entity set up by government to supervise the deal, the Millennium Development Authority-MiDA, says the availability of 308 million dollars and 23 million dollars counterpart funds from government, will see to an investment in infrastructure and business-related projects.

Speaking to Citi Business News, CEO of MiDA, Martin Eson- Benjamin, said the investments and projects are aimed at reducing commercial and technical losses in electricity supply.

“All these are modern approaches to ensuring that there’s efficiency in the way things are managed. We have put ourselves into this and I can tell you that the next 18 months we’re all out to deliver to make sure that the good people of Ghana get the benefit out of it.”

“If I want to change transformers, I will put lights off. But somebody will interpret that as [Dumsor], blackout, and therefore all my efforts I could curtail it because somebody will say don’t do it or else we will lose votes, therefore the people suffer because someone put a wrong message out there…But if you left me and suffered for two or three days, you will get a new transformer which gives you power. So in this difficult period, every step you take, you must know how to call it, otherwise you will not achieve the result you’re looking for or someone will think you are intentionally undermining government or that you’re poor in management”.

He however says MiDA will not be pressured politically in doing its work.

“There’s no way we will succumb to any pressure. If we do succumb, we cannot achieve results in this country. It could be painful and difficult, but at the end of the day, we shall be laughing.”

He also highlighted efforts to reduce technical and commercial losses in power supply in the country. This is to be carried out through the establishment of training centres at the Accra Technical University, KNUST and the University of Natural Resources to equip people with knowledge on the auditing of electricity.

“You can have power in your house, but if your freezer capacity is bigger than what you think; it should be for a small room or your air-conditioner or television is too big, whatever the consumption levels are not managed, you will be wasting your money. Therefore, we started to look at government institutions and buildings where they had difficulties managing the payment of tariffs.”

Health facilities such as the University of Ghana Medical Centre, and the 37 Military Hospital are also expected to receive adequate electricity supply from new primary substations to be established by the Authority.

On August 5, 2014, the government of Ghana signed the second Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact to invest up to 498.2 million dollars to support the country’s power sector and turn around its fortunes.

Source: Citinewsroom.com