NON-FUNCTIONAL STREETLIGHTS POSE INSECURITY IN TWIN-CITY (PAGE 29)

One of the biggest problems facing the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi presently is the security of residents, which is threatened by the malfunctioning of street and community lights at night.
Thieves move into communities and dark street corners at night, breaking into vehicles and removing batteries and other accessories from vehicles parked in front of houses at night.
Students, nurses and residents who walk alone at night either from work or group studies also become victims of these nocturnal attacks.
Prior to the 2008 African Cup of Nations tournament, the dark twin-city was illuminated. That was after the Ministry of Energy had awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of existing streetlights and the installation of new ones in the metropolis in view of the expected visitors for the tournament.
Today, about 90 per cent of the street lights have gone off and the only illumination at night is the reflection of light from various homes along the streets.
In the recent past, the Western Regional Police Command had to introduce night patrols to control the crime wave in the night but they have not been effective.
Residents in the twin-city, therefore, would want an improvement in streetlighting to improve security.
Street lights on the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly road from the Paa Grant Roundabout to Sekondi are completely off, and so are those on the Nkontompo-Sekondi road, Paa Grant Roundabout linking the Kwesimintsim, Kofi Annan roads, among others.
Information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that the contract for the installation of the street lights in the metropolis was awarded to a foreign company last year before the Africa Cup of Nations tournament by the then Ministry of Energy.
Under the contract, the contractors were supposed to provide street lights and also ensure their proper maintenance. But at the moment, the contractors are said to be complaining about lack of payment.
Therefore, the safety and security of the people at the moment are dependent on how fast funds will be made available to the contractor to carry out maintenance of the lights.
The situation is such that the purpose for which the street lights were installed has been defeated.
When contacted, the metropolitan assembly officials said the lights were supposed to have been handed over to the assembly after its completion but the contractor was yet to do so.
To ensure the safety and security of the people in the metropolis, especially students and nurses who are the worst victims, the Ministry of Energy is being urged to get back to the contractor to ensure that the right thing is done.