Member of Parliament for Amenfi East, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has raised red flags over why 38 communities in his constituency were secretly deleted from the final master list of 58 communities shortlisted for an electrification project.
The Ministry of Energy is in a fix over the matter and has not found answers to the question, though the situation has generated tension among residents of the 38 communities.
Though funding for the project has been secured and the final list of communities to benefit from the project compiled, the 38 communities have been removed from the master list in what seems to be a selective distribution of developmental projects based on parochial partisan interests.
This perception has become a seeming reality, especially when all the communities that were removed from the master list fall within areas that have massively voted for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) during elections, whereas communities which vote for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) within that area are beneficiaries.
When Mr Aidoo, last Friday, tabled an urgent question on the Floor of the House, demanding reasons why the 38 communities were deleted, Emmanuel Kofi Buah- Armah, Deputy Minister for Energy, could not find an explanation, except to say it was done in consultation with the Amenfi East District Assembly and that more communities would be added later.
Daily Guide has gathered that the situation has generated tension among residents of the 38 affected communities and a potential chaotic situation could unfold.
Joseph Boahen Aidoo later explained his concerns to DAILY GUIDE:
�What I was asking on the Floor was why the 38 communities had been dropped and who exactly made that decision because this is a project that money had already been secured for as way back as 2008 but the project was scheduled for 2009.
�Also, I had personally gone to the Energy Ministry and the Deputy Energy Minister, Hon. Innusa Fuseni, had given me a copy of the final master list and my constituency had 58. It is therefore surprising that the 58 had been reduced to just 20 when the project had already been budgeted for and funding is ready. There are other constituencies that have as much as 70 communities benefiting from this project so why has the 58 communities in Amenfi East been reduced to 20?� JB Aidoo questioned.
Under the Weldy Lamont Electrification Project in the Western Region, some 1,200 communities without electricity were selected for electrification and funding of $350million was secured from the US Exim-bank in 2008 but the project was scheduled for 2009.
What has brought the problem now is that apart from the Amanfi East constituency, which is represented in Parliament by Mr Aidooo from the NPP, the neighboring constituencies have all benefited.
The 38 communities that were secretly deleted Amenfi East constituency include Brepro Nkwanta, Jonjoso, Damoakrom, Krofofrom, Djorboakrom, Epom Kokofu, Nkyirifi, Nkonya, Hintado, Kojoansa, Konkoso, Ntwintwina, Nyame Bekyere(Near Open Valley), Kwaku Driver, Pricision-Attase, Samankrom, Subriso(Near Wasa Akropong), Maafokrom, Tweapiase, Wasa Kumasi , New Somanya and Nkubetin.
The rest are Abenabena, Aboabboso, Abotarye, Akoreso, Agyakuso, Akrofereim, Akwaboa, Ashiriso, Asomana, Beposo(Near Gyedua), Asomdwee, Babianeha, Brosso (Lake), Camp (Near Opon Valley), Dukoto and Brepro.
Source: Halifax Ansah-Addo
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