Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim has reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to resolving the persistent issue of poor street lighting in the capital city.
Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show on Monday, May 12, Ms. Muslim acknowledged the seriousness of the problem and outlined steps being taken to address it.
She referenced earlier remarks by the Greater Accra Regional Minister during her vetting, noting the urgency with which the issue was being tackled.
“When she assumed office, the Greater Accra Minister took the situation very seriously and gave herself at least 50 days to begin fixing the many broken-down streetlights,” she said.
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“It’s true that Accra is largely dark you can’t escape that reality, and it’s something we must confront.”
Shamima Muslim also highlighted the active role of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition in addressing systemic inefficiencies within the power sector.
However, she pointed out that the government is grappling with significant financial hurdles, particularly in relation to the sector’s mounting legacy debts.
“The Ministry is working diligently on this issue. Our power sector carries the second-highest debt burden after COCOBOD,” she noted.
“There are deep inefficiencies, aggravated by years of collusion and corruption. We are essentially sitting on debilitating debt.” She revealed.
In addition, she expressed concern over the ongoing investigation into missing containers belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), questioning how vital infrastructure meant to improve energy supply could vanish without explanation.
“We’re still waiting for answers on the missing ECG containers. Where are they?” she asked. “And what about the poles meant to light our streets? We’ve seen images of them abandoned in uncompleted buildings and overgrown areas. How do ECG poles and cables, which should be boosting connectivity, end up in neglected communities?” She questioned.
While acknowledging the scale and complexity of the challenge, Ms. Muslim cautioned that the problem cannot be resolved overnight.
She stressed the need for a long-term approach rather than quick fixes.
“These are not issues that can be solved in four months,” she said.
“We must first confront the problem, identify the leakages, and understand the root causes. As a new government, we are determined to break from the past and provide clear evidence of a different, more effective approach.” She said.
When asked by host Sweety Abochie whether the government was genuinely committed to illuminating the streets of Accra, Ms. Muslim responded with conviction.
“Absolutely. That’s why we’ve set ourselves a 120-day timeline—to put pressure on ourselves and deliver results,” she concluded.
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