N/R Minister commends Japanese govt

The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Alhassan Shani Sayibu, has commended the Japanese government for responding to the government of Ghana request for grants to facilitate supply of power in Tamale and its surrounding communities.

He said the intervention of the Japanese government had helped many communities in Tamale metropolis to get power supply.

The Minister made the statement when the delegation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA), Northern Electricity Distribution Company(NEDCo) and Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL) paid a courtesy call on himin Tamale on Tuesday.

The visit was to brief the minister on the preparatory survey for a new power supply substation project in Tamale.

He said the construction of the power substation would not only benefit the inhabitants of Tamale but its surrounding communities would also benefit.

“The request of grants of Ghana government from Japan government had led to the implementation of this project,”he added.

The minister added that the project would also go a very long way to enhance power supply reliability in Tamale and its environs.

The minister said this would also help to support the government’s efforts at ensuring stability of power in Tamale.

He added that the completion of the project would boost socio-economic activities for the people of Tamale and the region at large.

The minister also appealed to JICA to fast- track the refurbishment of the Tamale Central Hospital into a Regional Hospital.

 He assured JICA of his readiness to support them in the course of the feasibility study.

The minister also appealed to stakeholders to contribute effectively to make the new power supply sub-station project in Tamale a success.

The Leader of the delegation and the Deputy Country Director of JICA-Ghana, Mr Yusuaki Momita, said the feasibility survey was on track to identify and confirm the components of the project.

He said the coordination development plan at the national, regional and sectoral levels of appraisal and evaluation of the technical and economic visibility of the project were accurately intact.

Mr Momita added that an estimation of the cost of the project and the schedule required for procurement and construction was on course.

He said areas to benefit from the project included the Regional Coordinating Council, Fuo, Low cost, commercial areas, Tamale Central Hospital and regional offices.

FROM TIMES REPORTER, TAMALE