Local assemblies responsible for streetlight maintenance, not ministry of roads – Ministry PRO clarifies
The Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Nasir Ahmed Yartey, has clarified that the responsibility for maintaining faulty streetlights lies with local authorities, not the ministry.
Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM, Nasir Yartey cited a legal framework that assigns the upkeep of streetlights to the local assemblies in the areas where they are located.
Referring to Section 4 of the August 2011 policy document, Yartey explained, “The ownership and responsibility for the maintenance of street lights is placed in the hands of the local authority.”
He further elaborated that while the Ministry of Roads and Highways installs streetlights during road construction, the ongoing maintenance is handed over to local assemblies.
“We provide the infrastructure as part of road contracts, but once construction is completed, the local authorities are responsible for maintaining the streetlights,” Yartey added, noting that this is why local authorities collect levies for street lighting.
“What happens is that as a Roads Ministry, when we are constructing roads, we provide the infrastructure, and so for example, if you go to Borteyman to School Junction, you will see that we have provided street lights and that is what we do.
“We add the provision of street lights to the road contract but when we are done constructing, the laws place the street lights in the hands of the local authority and that is why they collect levies for street lights.
“So if you are looking for the authority responsible for the maintenance of street lights, it is the local authority.”
