Browsing by Author "Boye, Portia Akosua"

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    Electricity consumption and health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.
    (KNUST, 2019-05) Boye, Portia Akosua
    Inspite of efforts to accelerate increase in access to electricity in SSA, more than half of the populations do not have access to electricity and many more are connected to unreliable sources. Therefore, consumption of electricity by some sections of the population in SSA is accompanied by the use of other unclean fuels like biomass for lighting and cooking among others not considering their health implications. Using the fixed effect model, the results imply that electricity consumption contributes significantly to the reduction in under-five mortality rates, infant mortality rates, and improvement in life expectancy at birth. In addition, the study finds that access to electricity leads to a significant fall in both infant and under-five mortality rates, and increase in life expectancy at birth. The study also found bidirectional causality between electricity consumption and access. Given these results, the study recommends that electricity consumption and access levels should be increased through increased investment into the electricity sector as a requirement to increase the total amount of energy that power stations are able to produce. This increase in investment will as well improve performance within the generation, transmission and distribution chain and increase consumption at the end. Also, measures such as mini grids and renewables should be put in place to strengthen policies directed at increasing electricity access for all in order to help SSA contribute its quota towards the achievement of sustainable Development Goals 3 and 7.