President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commended the Professor YaaNtiamoa-Baidu-led board of Directors of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) for completing the $536 million Ghana Power Compact (Compact 2).
In March 2017, President Akufo-Addo inaugurated the board and charged them with the responsibility of providing oversight to the management and activities of the Millennium Development Authority.
The board chair of MiDA, Professor YaaNtiamoa-Baidu, led a delegation to the Jubilee House to present to President Akufo-Addo, a report on their stewardship and to register their appreciation to the President for the opportunity to work on the programme.
Yesterday was the last day of the 120-day Compact Period.
“We are happy to say that; a lot has been accomplished under the Compact. By the revised Compact end date of 6 June, 2022, all projects retained and prioritised for implementation had been completed, commissioned and handed over to the beneficiaries, including ECG, GRIDCo, the Ghana Standards Authority, the Energy Commission, PURC, Ministry of Education, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, University of Ghana, Accra Technical University, KNUST, and University of Energy and Natural Resources, among others,” Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu said when presenting the report of the board to the President.
Projects undertaken following the revised Compact funding of US$347 million, according to Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu, was fully and prudently disbursed.
First, two bulk supply points, in Pokuase and in Kasoa, currently the largest and second largest substations in Ghana respectively, providing a total of 1015-megavolt amperes (MVA)”.
Second is two vital primary sub-stations, with interconnecting circuits to serve electricity consumers and major health facilities, namely the 37 Military Hospital, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, the University of Ghana Medical Centre, Noguchi Memorial institute for Medical Research, Jubilee House, and communities in the environs of these facilities. These handle 130-megavolt amperes (MVA).
Third is a refrigerator and air conditioner testing laboratory for the Ghana Standards Authority, the only such facility in the West African Sub-Region and a Low Voltage Bifurcation Project in six districts of ECG’s Accra West and Accra East Regions.
Fourth is streetlights replacement and refurbishing work on 528km of selected streets in 20 MMDAs in Greater Accra and retrofitting of SEVEN major government buildings in the Ministries, including interventions at Korle Bu and at the University of Ghana.
Sixth, “internship for some 650 Ladies undertaking STEM Studies in various tertiary, technical and vocational Institutions in Ghana together with the establishment and resourcing of 3 SECS in selected Universities, as training Centres for electricity auditing.
The intervention also includes reviewing and passing into Law of 20 Legislative Instruments for E nergy Sector Regulations. In addition, we provided to ECG, state-of the art Meter Management and Geographic Information Systems, all of which will support efforts aimed at loss control and improved profitability.
“MrPresident, it is gratifying to highlight that: All the Compact funds, including some USS31 million which Government contributed as counterpart funds, were fully utiliSed within the Compact term,” Professor YaaNtiamoa-Baidu said.
“All rojects were completed, at very high standards and handed over to the beneficiary Agencies. Numerous employment opportunities were made available to our youth and vital skills were transferred to them.
We are aware that the Compact’s intervention has had a major impact on the quality of power supply in ECG’s Accra East and West Regions. We trust that all infrastructures will be well managed after the Compact” she added.
President Akufo-Addo congratulated the board of the Millennium Development Authority for executing the Millennium Challenge Compact effectively, looking forward to a future Compact three with the United States government.
He added that in the event of a Compact three, he will call on the out-going board to bring their experience to bear for same.
“The real issue before me now is compact three, what will be the basis. I am due to travel to America soon and I will raise it at the highest levels,” President Akufo-Addo said.
BY YAW KYEI
