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SWITZERLAND SET TO ROLL OUT US$12 MILLION ELECTRICITY SECTOR SUPPORT PROGRAMME |
The Swiss Government and the Government of Ghana have completed
procedures for the implementation of a US$12 million Electricity Sector
Reform and Extension Programme signed in 2008.
The programme,
which is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of
Energy, will support Ghana to achieve a high-performing electricity
sector through the implementation of structural reforms.
The 12
million US$ grant is Switzerland’s contribution to the implementation
of the Ghana Energy Development and Access Project (GEDAP) which aims
to improve operational efficiency of the electricity distribution
system and increase access to electricity.
The Electricity Sector Reform and Extension Programme is made up of three components:
- technical assistance to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC);
- support to the electricity distribution sector;
- poverty oriented grid expansion.
When
the agreement was signed in 2008, it was decided that the technical
scope of the programme will be defined at a later stage.
The
technical assistance programme with the PURC is currently underway:
developing capacity of PURC to better monitor the standards of
provision of utility services; set tariffs; and protect interest of
consumers.
Switzerland’s support to the electricity sector will
assist the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern
Electricity Department of the VRA to conduct a technical assessment of
the levels and types of electricity losses that they are experiencing
as well as assist them to improve operational efficiency.
The
third component of the Electricity Sector Reform and Extension
Programme supports the governments’ goal of extending electricity to
rural Ghana. Currently only 65% of Ghanaians have access to
electricity. The Government aims to increase the access to 85% by the
year 2015. Switzerland is supporting this goal with poverty oriented
grid expansion in selected rural communities.
The Embassy of
Switzerland in Ghana implements the Swiss Economic Development
Assistance to Ghana granted through the Swiss State Secretariat for
Economic Affairs (SECO). Switzerland’s assistance to Ghana concentrates
on economic and trade measures in four main domains i.e. sound
macro-economic policies and transparent public finances; financial
sector development and strengthening; trade, competition and investment
climate and basic infrastructure regulation and public utilities in
energy. |
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