Deprived communities in the Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions that may not have access to electricity in the next five or more years will be introduced to solar PV systems, an alternative source of energy.

The Marketing Manager of Wilkins Engineering Limited, Mr. Kwasi Agyenim Boateng said this at a stakeholders workshop.

The workshop, which was organised by the Association of Ghana Solar Industries.

Mr Boateng said the use of the lantern, poses serious health hazards to its users especially, school children in deprived communities that mostly used lantern for studies.

He also expressed worry that these children were expected to produce the same results as their colleagues in the cities who used electricity for studies in order to gain admission into well established schools in the country.

Mr Boateng asked the participants to help promote the use of solar energy in their communities.

He said the effective use of solar energy could contribute to the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Mr Boateng said that the promotion of solar energy would improve maternal health care delivery and eradicate poverty and hunger in deprived communities. He said Assemblies could help promote this by allocating 10 percent of their energy expansion funds for the acquisition of solar energy.