There was excitement in Toungo local government area of Adamawa over the commissioning of an electricity project by the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
Toungo, the headquarters of Toungo Local Government Area located in the Adamawa South Senatorial zone, shares an international boundary with the Republic of Cameroon and had been without electricity since its creation as a local government area 25 years ago.
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Fintiri had promised to electrify the local government if elected during his electioneering campaign in 2019 which saw the award and successful execution of the project that was commissioned on Friday.
During the commissioning of the project, a former deputy Governor of the state, Senator Bello Tukur, scored Fintiri’s administration high, rating him among the best performing Governors in the country.
Senator Tukur noted that the Toungo electrification project is now a reality as God had used Fintiri to deliver the area from the neglect of past administrations.
Speaking at the event, Governor Fintiri explained that the commissioning was the first phase which is a 33kv mainline from Ganye Tee Junction to Toungo linked to the YEDC’s main station with 11kv low tension in Gamu with installed transformers and distribution lines.
He reiterated that the second phase is the one from Toungo to Kirri which has already seen ninety per cent poles erections, adding that it would soon be commission.
He attributed the delay in the execution of the project to the initial underrating of the quantum of work required by his administration, coupled with the economic impact of COVID-19.
Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Aminu Iya Abbas, expressed excitements for the electrification project, saying that the state legislature would continue to work in unison with the executive for the betterment of the state.
In his remarks, Chairman Toungo local government council, Kefas Calvin, said the area had been in total blackout for 25 years and lauded the governor for salvaging the people of Toungo.
Editor’s note: This story has been edited to correct an earlier headline that named Toungo as the hometown of former vice president Atiku Abubakar.