About 1,200 households in four districts in the country are to benefit from a modern solar lighting system.
The project, which would help improve the economic and social life of beneficiary communities, is being jointly funded by the Colombian Embassy in Accra in collaboration with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Queen Mother’s Foundation.
The project, dubbed ‘Ghana-Colombia: Litre of Light for Peace Project,’ is geared at promoting an alternative lighting system based on recycled plastic bottles.
The technology uses solar bottle bulbs, which are an alternative method of lighting, which does not generate heat, requires no maintenance, does not incur monthly costs and is self-sustaining.
The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, stated that the current project being undertaken is not government’s permanent solution to the ‘dumsor’ crisis currently facing the country.
“Before we find a solution to the ‘dumsor’ crisis, there must be creative and innovative technology that would make the situation less daunting on the people of Ghana,” he reiterated.
Dr Vanderpuije urged Ghanaians to see the positives in every step taken to address challenges facing the country rather than dwelling on the negatives.
He charged Ghanaians to take advantage of the project and learn so that they can replicate it when the instructors leave.
The Colombia Ambassador to Ghana, Togo and Benin, Ms Claudia Turbay Quintero, hinted that the technology was already being used in over 12 communities in Colombia and five Latin-American countries.
She mentioned that for the Ghana chapter of this project, Mayikpor, Deigo, Kontoma and Komfrokrom would have the first installations.
Ms Quintero held that the Colombia Embassy would support Ghana with future installations as well.
Mr Camilo Jose Herrera Diaz, Ambassador of Light and founder of ‘Litro de Luz Colombia,’ assured that the project was safe since it made use of just a discarded PET bottle, water, chlorine and glue.
According to him, the project is targeted at mitigating electrical exclusion in order to better the lives of people living in such communities.
The founder of the project stressed that he would make himself available to provide technical support should Ghana want to take the project to a larger scale.
Purity Bosson, Country Co-ordinator for ROJALNU-Ghana, urged the youth to seize this opportunity and share in this important transfer of knowledge.
Ms Bosson appealed to the youth to volunteer on the project in order to learn the technology.
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