Street Light Campaign: Prestea Huni Valley Assembly lights up metropolis

Whilst many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country are challenged with illuminating their streets at night, the Bogoso Zonal Council in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality, has surmounted this and currently achieved about 90% illumination of its major streets.

This feat, apart from boosting safety and security, is also having a positive impact on business in the area.

The Zonal Councils are made up of all Assembly Members, Unit Committee Members, Opinion Leaders and some volunteer groups in designated zones.

The Prestea Huni valley Municipal Assembly has seven Zonal Councils. The Bogoso Zonal Council has adopted a proactive approach to ensure its major streets are well-lit at night to deter robberies and other violent incidents and its success rate is about 90%. Evans Aboah is the Chairman of the Bogoso Zonal Council.

“We’ve shared the responsibility among ourselves by forming a committee to ensure the streetlights are functioning properly. If a bulb isn’t working, we replace it, and the costs are forwarded to the Assembly. As a mining community, we recognize the importance of maintaining streetlights to prevent criminal activities that thrive in darkness. We prioritize keeping the lights on and in perfect condition to ensure the community’s safety and security.” He stated.

The impact on business is quite profound. It’s around 9 pm and this is the Bogoso main station. Evans and his sister Maggi sell footwear and fruits here. They say they now feel safe to sell at night.

“The streetlights greatly benefit us in two ways. Firstly, they enhance security, allowing us to detect if someone is carrying something suspicious, giving us the opportunity to intervene. Secondly, they boost our sales, as our business primarily operates at night. The illumination attracts customers, and we rely on the streetlights to showcase our products.

When the lights go out, we struggle to attract customers, and our sales suffer. In such cases, we’re forced to relocate to other areas with better lighting, which isn’t ideal.” He mentioned.

The following day, we visited the Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Assembly, where we met the municipal Works Engineer, Kojo Scott.

“Following our needs assessment, conducted in collaboration with Zonal and Area Council members, we identified areas that were plagued by darkness around 5 or 6:00pm, making it difficult for people to pass through. By working together with the Zonal Councils to illuminate these areas, we’ve seen a significant reduction in criminal activity on our streets. Encouraged by this success, we plan to extend this initiative to all communities within the constituency, further enhancing safety and security for our residents.”

He talks about the Assembly’s plans to sustain the initiative through a collaborative effort with the community.

“The Assembly has procured a substantial number of streetlights and accessories, ensuring adequate materials are available. Whenever a request is made, we promptly issue the necessary materials. Our team, including electricians and workers, then installs and maintains the streetlights. Additionally, we have a comprehensive operation and maintenance plan in place. By following this plan, we aim to keep the streetlights functioning in most communities, ensuring continuous illumination and safety,” he explained.

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