The Deputy Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has commissioned a major electricity project for the Awurahae and Sarpor communities in the Eastern Region, describing the intervention as a Christmas gift to residents.

The projects, which bring reliable electricity to the two communities for the first time, were funded largely from the MP’s personal resources, with additional support from the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the beneficiary communities.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on December 25, Mr. Ampem Nyarko said the choice of Christmas Day was symbolic, noting that the birth of Jesus Christ represented the coming of light into a world once covered in darkness.

“Today marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us there was darkness over the world, and a Savior was born to bring light. In the same spirit, today we are bringing light to Awurahae. There could not have been a better day than Christmas to do this,” he said.

He described the electrification project as the best Christmas gift to the people and credited President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership for making it possible. According to him, the project fulfilled a long-standing promise to the communities.

Mr. Ampem Nyarko recalled the difficult journey toward electrification, noting that residents had, in the past, expressed deep frustration over years of living without electricity.

“I remember times when we came here, and you sent us away because there was no electricity. I even recall an incident when a gentleman stood up, very angry, demanding that we leave because the community still had no light,” he said. “Today, that light has finally come.”

He explained that despite winning the parliamentary seat in earlier elections, being in opposition limited his ability to address some development needs. He said he appealed to residents to support both his re-election and President Mahama’s bid, assuring them that victory would lead to the fulfilment of their electricity needs.

“President Mahama won, and today, you have the light,” he told residents amid applause.

Community members expressed appreciation for the project, describing it as a transformative intervention expected to boost education, healthcare delivery, and economic activities in the area.