Gbango, Ghana – In a significant step towards enhancing the quality of life in the Upper East Region, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) has facilitated the provision of solar mobile phone charging centers in three long-overlooked communities: Gbango and Tarikome in the Bawku West District, and Dalaasa in the Builsa South District.

For decades, these communities have struggled with a lack of electricity, making basic services like mobile phone charging nearly impossible. Despite the installation of electrical poles and a transformer in Gbango since 2016, the community remains unconnected to the national grid. “Residents had to travel to Binaba, incurring a cost of 16 cedis on transportation and 2 cedis per charging session anytime they wanted to charge their phones,” explained Alembile Abel, Assemblyman for Gbango.

The situation in Tarikome and Dalaasa was even more dire, with no electrical infrastructure at all. “We had to travel about 15 kilometers to the district capital, Zebilla, to charge our phones,” noted Azaase Godfred, Assemblyman for Tarikome.

These challenges are now being addressed through the “Creating Lands of Opportunity: Transforming Livelihoods through Landscape Restoration in the Sahel (LoGMe)” project. With CSIR-SARI playing a crucial role, the project has constructed solar phone charging centers in these communities, each capable of charging 20 mobile phones at a time. This initiative is funded by the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land, and Sea through the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The 3-year project is implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Ghana) in partnership with A Rocha Ghana, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Water Resources Commission, and the Department of Agriculture.

CSIR-SARI’s involvement has been instrumental in ensuring the success of this initiative. By leveraging their expertise and local presence, CSIR-SARI has helped bring sustainable energy solutions to these remote areas. Dorcas Owusuaa Agyei, National Coordinator for IUCN, emphasized that the solar mobile phone charging centers will not only allow residents to charge their phones but also enable them to power radio sets and stay informed about important developments.

This project underscores CSIR-SARI’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of rural communities through innovative and sustainable solutions. The introduction of these solar charging centers is a testament to the institute’s ongoing efforts to bridge the gap between technological advancements and rural accessibility.