The federal government has through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) commissioned two hybrid mini grids with a total of 200kw capacity for Oloyan and Sule Camp communities in Ovia South and Ovia North East LGAs respectively of Edo State.
City & Crime reports that Olayan community got 100kw of electricity after 21 years while Sule Camp also got 100kw after 30 years.
Speaking during the commissioning, the REA Managing Director (MD), Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said the mini grids were two of many being developed across the nation through the federal government’s Rural Electrification Fund (REF).
He said REF remained a key mechanism of the federal government designed to enable developmental impact in rural communities through the provision of sustainable energy access.
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Represented by the agency’s Executive Director, Mr Doris Uboh, Aliyu said that the rural communities were being held back across the nation due to the spate of energy poverty.
He further said, “It is evident that our interventions in unserved and underserved communities are serving as catalysts to true sustainable development in line with the objectives of the federal government. The off-grid, renewable energy ecosystem in Nigeria will continue to be a driving force for the Nigerian economy.”
Aliyu added that the commissioning of the two mini grids in Oloya and Sule Camp brought to three the total mini grids in the state, as one was commissioned in Adebayo community in the last two years.
He further said that to ensure the sustainability of the project, they had constituted a committee comprising members of the communities to take responsibility and also provide security for the projects.
On his part, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, commended the agency for its commitment to bring sustainable energy solutions to communities in the state.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the state’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr Ozigbo Esere, Obaseki said the innovative infrastructure such as the mini grids were essential for the growth and prosperity of the great people of Edo State.
On behalf of the communities, Kolawole Olusegun, the Baale of Oloyan, and Asimiyu Kareen, the Baale of Sule Camp, said the projects would significantly improve their socio-economic activities.
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