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Regional News of Sunday, 10 March 2019
Source: Ananpansah B Abraham
'No electricity; no vote' bandwagon hits Frafra No.1 & 6 as youth vow to chase out politicians
A fierce grassroot crusade is being waged by the youth of Frafra number 1 & 6 in the Canteen Electoral Area in Damongo, the Savannah regional capital to get their communities connected to the national grid.
The aggrieved youth who are hell-bent on getting electricity extended to the aforementioned two communities, contend they have been neglected for far too long Ghanaweb's Ananpansah B Abraham has gathered.
And that, "the feverish bird cannot continue to tremble in silence before the master..."
The affected areas the youth disclosed, predates all other communities in the zone and they were the first settlers in those areas, but don't understand why the two communities always elude capture in any extension exercise.
In explaining the "No light; no vote" resentments as inscribed on a signboard mounted around Mr.Akandi's residence in the St.Anne's Residential Area, Mr.Ayimbire Abane Robert said they had no option but to adopt this as a last resort, after all, effort to get stakeholders to extend electricity to the two communities have proven futile.
According to him, they were given extension poles prior to the 2016 general elections and after the change of government, they followed up to the office of the DCE to press home their demand for electricity extension.
He said poles were mounted at Frafra number 1 and its environs, but the area was cut off when electricity was later being extended to those communities and they don't understand why they were bypassed.
He bemoaned the inconvenience they have to go through in getting a source of electricity to charge their mobile phones. He said they go to people's houses to charge their phones and their children risk through the night to get lights in neighboring homes to read their books and do their homework.
And so, they have resolved not to take part in the upcoming 2020 election and are ready to chase out any politician who dare step foot into the communities if they don't get an electricity connection.
About five of their mechanized boreholes constructed by CWE in his words have become white elephants owing to the fact that, the solar panels of these boreholes have been stolen and there is no source of electricity to alternatively power them.
The boreholes he further disclosed, are sufficient enough to supply the whole of Damongo and its environs portable source of water if the electricity is provided to power them.
"In the year 2016, they brought us light poles at Frafra number 6 and after the voting, the change of government came and we matched to the office of the DCE concerning our lights. If you go to Frafra number 1, they erected poles in all the areas; but when they came to do the extension, they cut off the area...And we don't understand whether we are not part of Damongo or we don't deserve light. And we are the first settlers in Frafra number 1 & 6, but currently as I am speaking to you, we don't have lights," he bewailed.
Mr.Adam Sumaila, a resident of Frafra number 1 deplored the spiritless manner in which political leaders have responded to their quest for electricity in the time past, insisting they would never back down on their demands.
Mr. Akandi, an opinion leader in the two communities appealed to the district assembly and other stakeholders to assist extend electricity to the communities.
He disclosed they were really in dire need of the lights and would use every legitimate means to press home their demand.
Meanwhile, information available on PAD FM online.com indicates that there was some electricity extension to just a portion of Frafra number 1 under the previous regime.
Checks at the Frafra settlement number 1 also reveals that, most of the mounted poles in a portion of the area have since collapsed with the cables drugging on the ground.
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