THEFT OF ELECTRICITY CABLES IN UWR WORRYING — BAENA (PAGE 30)

THE Wa Area Manager of the Northern Electricity Department (NED) and the Volta River Authority (VRA), Mr Nathaniel Baena, has expressed concern about the rampant stealing of electricity cables in the Upper West Region.
Such acts, he said, drew the work of the NED, VRA and the country backwards in its quest to extend electricity to all corners of the country.
Describing the act as a social problem, Mr Baena said those people who bought the cables were not ready to disclose the identities of the culprits who sold the items to them.
This came to light when the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid, paid a working visit to the Wa offices of the NED/VRA to acquaint himself with their operations.
Mr Baena charged the communities to be vigilant and protect those cables, stressing “In the end, it is you the people in the communities who will need them”.
He said apart from 87 communities which were connected to the national grid last year, work was progressing steadily for the extension of power to 96 more communities under the ongoing Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP) in the region.
Mr Baena stated that the NED/VRA was in the process of putting up more paying points to enhance the payment of revenue to the organisations.
He said that would also minimise the long queues which usually occurred at the present points for payments.
Mr Mahmud Khalid complained about the intermittent power outages in the region and urged the NED/VRA to live up to expectation.