Residents of various rural communities in Gombe and seven other states have raised concerns over the non-connection and the lack of maintenance of rural electricity projects worth N1billion.
Daily Trust on Sunday obtained a document from the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in Abuja on 470 rural power projects captured in the 2017 budget. According to the document, most of the awarded projects, numbering 441 across the six geopolitical zones, were ‘completed as awarded’ while only 29 were ongoing or about to begin.
Analysis of the distribution of the project indicates that the North-Central region got the highest of 117 projects with most of them concentrated in Kogi State. While 12 projects were said to be ongoing, 105 were ‘completed.’
The South-South region got the highest of 85 projects, with most of them concentrated in Edo State. While eight projects were said to be ongoing, 77 projects were ‘completed.’
The North-West had 79 projects, of which Kaduna dominates with 29 of them. Three of the projects are ongoing, the REA project status report stated.
The South-East had 76 projects, with 28 in Abia State. It reported three to be ongoing projects.
There were 59 projects in the North-East, with Bauchi having the highest of 15 projects. Two projects were said to be ongoing.
Among the 54 projects in the South-West, Ondo and Ogun had 11 projects each, while one project was ongoing in Ondo State.
However, Daily Trust on Sunday did a random survey of 12 of the projects REA valued at N1 billion and tagged them as completed across eight States. The REA awarded the 12 projects at a contract cost of N992.3 million (about N1bn) to 10 contractors. However, at the time of filing this report, the agency said it had paid the contractors N934.9m while a balance of N57.4m is being held.
Our investigations further revealed that while the projects were delivered, most of them have not been connected to the national grid, while others, mainly solar streetlights, require maintenance.
Confirming these challenges, the REA in the Freedom of Information (FoI) request response, confirmed that among the 12 randomly selected projects, seven, which were mostly off-grid solar projects, were fully completed and operational, but five others that require connection to the national grid have not been energised by Abuja, Jos, Port Harcourt and Enugu DisCos.
Solar streetlights in Kano villages in poor shape
The REA said it completed the execution of a survey and provision of solar power solutions at Dadin Kowa/Burumbum/Faruruwa villages in Kano State. A visit to Faruruwa village, a few kilometres away from Tudun Wada Local Government secretariat, showed that the village is not connected to the national electricity grid and does not have any form of power supply.
Residents, however, said solar streetlights were installed six years ago, not in 2017. Malam Usman Garba said the streetlights installed, worked for about three years and have presently gone bad.
He said, “The solar streetlights were installed only on the village streets of Faruruwa, not in our houses, and we were told that it was a project from the Federal Government of Nigeria, brought to us by our representative at the National Assembly.
“However, the lights worked for almost three years, and as you can see, only the metal stands are visible because since their installation, no one has ever come here to repair or do anything to ensure its workability.”
This is similar in Burumburum village in Rano Local Government Area, where about 20 solar streetlights were installed nearly six years ago. However, just four were partially active when our correspondent visited, others were down without maintenance.
A resident, Malam Alasan Rabi’u, said the solar streetlights were never repaired since installation. “The solar streetlights were installed by government and we were told it was facilitated by our representative at the National Assembly. However, the streetlights have not been working,’’ he said.
At Sabon Gari market in Fagge Local Government Area within Kano metropolis, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commissioned a solar power solution that serves over 12,000 shops under REA’s energising economies programme. The solution is managed by a company called ‘Resource Energy.’
Some of the users at the market said they were satisfied with the operation so far. “This is something we cherish as we are confident of getting power supply on the agreed period, that is from 10 am to 6 pm. An average subscriber is entitled to three bulbs, a socket and a fan for N1000 per week. For us, this is better than what we were used to with the neck breaking bills of electricity supply companies that don’t even give you the needed light,’’ Malam Aliyu Bello, a trader said.
Faulty REA project in Benue village, others
Residents of Akpoga-Mission, Ipole-Akpoga and Effoyo communities in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State were still basking in the euphoria of celebration barely a year after government’s intervention to end their electricity challenge when the light tripped off.
The projects were said to have been completed in 2018, but that of Mission went faulty shortly after. In the village, a leader of the Akpoga Ipole/Mission electricity project, Hyacinth Omoje said, “We hardly have at least four hours of uninterrupted power supply here in Akpoga.”
Our correspondent observed that the two communities, not quite three kilometres apart, have separate step-down transformers from the 33 kilovolts (kV) line, which supplies light for the area. While the transformer at Akpoga Ipole still supplies light, the one at Mission has left the locals in total darkness, without hope of when the electricity would be restored.
It was also gathered that there were no plans underway to address the challenges of epileptic power supply and power cut in the two Akpoga communities.
For Chief Paul Iduh, a retired warrant officer of the Nigerian Army, the feeling of happiness was overwhelming to have his community connected to electricity but for the irregular supply of the power.
Also, an electricity consumer, Onoja John, said, “I pay N1,000 per month, and that’s on the high side since it is just one bulb in use.”
Meanwhile, at Effoyo community in Okpokwu Local Government Area, the story is not different. They had their village connected to electricity by the REA project on mounting cables and erecting poles from the nearby grid power source. Now, the residents complain of load shedding (rationing) of power supply.
Benjamin Ebuka, a patent medicine seller in Effoyo said, “The light we have here cannot even charge anything, let alone boost the battery of a mobile phone. In spite of this abnormality, we pay bills every month.’’
In Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, it was found that the electrification in Opiah and Effium villages were executed. The project was on pole erection to connect the villages to electricity from the neighbouring community.
REA projects abandoned, vandalised in Cross River
The agency executed projects in two communities of Adiabo and Okurikang in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State, but residents said they were abandoned and the installations vandalised.
Sources said the projects were awarded in 2016 and those behind it reported as having completed it. A traditional ruler in Okurikang community, HRH Etubom Ekong Esu Efa, said the project actually took off but was abandoned halfway, even though the status is that it has since been completed.
“I want the whole country to come and see this project. It has not been completed. It was abandoned as soon as the contractors began work. The electric poles were erected but no wiring.
“Now, many of the machines installed have been vandalised despite community efforts to protect them, they are eaten away by rust or decay,’’ he said
The surrounding communities do not enjoy the luxury of public electricity supply. However, Adiabo, where the Obong of Calabar hails and lives, enjoys power supply from a different public power source.
An official of the Cross River State Electrification Agency, who pleaded not to be named, said that initially, the state handled the survey aspect before some politicians came to hijack it.
“The state government was to handle the project up to a certain degree, while the Federal Government was to handle others and complete it. I would not know why it has not been completed,’’ he said.
One of the leaders of the Adiabo Youth Council, Christopher Ukpong, pleaded with the Federal Government to look into why the project was abandoned and neighbouring communities have remained in darkness for so long.
Solar streetlights in Osun, not rural electricity
The REA said it provided solar power solutions in some villages in Osun State. Our correspondent visited some villages, including Oba-Oke in Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA), where residents argued that the provision of about 20 streetlights did not amount to the provision of electricity for them.
Mr Mustapha Durodoye said, “There has not been any rural electrification project in this community for a long time. The electricity we are using was done in the 1980s and the first civilian governor of the state, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke inaugurated it.”
Another resident of the community, Mr Kamolideen Odugbemi, corroborated Durotoye’s position, saying there has not been rural electrification project in the community in recent times.
In Erin Osun, Irepodun South LCDA, the residents said there was no rural electrification project in their communities. Chief Basiru Agboola, Babakere of Erin Osun said, “No rural electrification project in Erin Osun recently.
He, however, confirmed the installation of solar streetlights, saying, “The only thing we saw was about 20 solar streetlights.’’
The secretary of the LCDA, Rauf Kazzem, also confirmed that there was no rural electrification project in Erin Osun community. “It is not true that the rural electrification project was executed and completed in Erin-Osun. But we saw 20 solar streetlights, and that’s not rural electrification to us.’’
In Ede community in Osun State, the president of Ede Descendants Union, Alhaji Adebayo said, “We are not aware of any of such rural electrification project in Ede and its environ.’’
In Ibokun, Obokun Local Government Area, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing Obokun constituency, Adewumi Adeyemi, said he was not aware of any rural electrification project in the community.
Adeyemi’s predecessor, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, also said he was unaware of such rural electrification project in Ibokun.
Oyintiloye said, “The recent electrification projects you can find in this community were done by the state government during the regime of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
In Ikirun, the immediate past commissioner for information in the state, Mr Adelani Baderinwa, also said he was not aware of any recent rural electrification project in Ikirun and its environ.
When our correspondent visited the Osogbo zonal office of the REA, the zonal coordinator, Owoyemi Ademola, an engineer, said, “No comment” and advised that the headquarters of agency be contacted.
Faulty REA project in Gombe village
In Gombe, the rural electrification project was cited in Dolli village, about seven kilometres from Lawanti town, along the Gombe-Bauchi highway.
Residents said the project, which connected Dolli and neighbouring villages of Shulto and Kandam with the national grid, was commissioned by former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo in 2018.
They, however, said the electricity went off just three days after the commissioning ceremony before members of the community could even connect the electricity to their respective homes.
The village head of Dolli, Malam Magaji Korau, said that since the village was founded over 1,000 years ago, their connection to the national grid in 2018 only lasted for three days.
“When the project was started and eventually commissioned, we were happy and full of praise to the government for coming to our rescue, however just three days after, the light went off, and since then, it has not returned,” he said.
Korau said that early in 2019, officials from the Jos Electricity Distribution Company came to collect monthly tariff, “but we told them that we could not pay for service not rendered because we never enjoyed the light. In fact, only one person connected his house before it finally went off.”
Another project was started in May 2019 at Kandam village, a few metres away from Dolli, but so far, only the transformer was installed. It cannot also transmit electricity until the Dolli source is fixed.
For now, Dolli and neighbouring villages await the resuscitation of the abandoned project and speedy completion of the ongoing one at Kandam village to get electricity for domestic usage.
In Nasarawa State, the agency said it surveyed and provided solar power solutions for Owara-Oworo, Budon-Kakanda, and Eggon towns. The chairman of Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area, Mr Danladi Idris, could not confirm any rural power projects in the towns.
Also, the general manager of Nasarawa Electricity Power Agency (NaEPA), Abdullahi Ango, an engineer, and former commissioner for information, Alhaji Abdulhamid Kwara, could not identify rural power projects and even the Owara-Oworo, Budon-Kakanda, Eggan villages.
The REA also said it completed abandoned rural electrification projects at Gbude and Nakere in Wamba Local Government Area. This was confirmed by residents. Nuhu Isyaku in Gbude town said, “One digital transformer was installed for us. We tasked the few houses that were connected to pay N1,000 and buy airtime for the digital meter to supply us light.”
At Nakere town, Mr. Ali Chaga Pando, who is a community leader, said, “The REA installed a pre-paid transformer in 2018.”
DisCos fail to connect 5 grid power projects – REA
Responding to Daily Trust on Sunday’s FoI request on details of the selected projects, information from the REA showed that the projects were all executed. However, while they were tagged as ‘completed’ in the REA project report for 2017 budgetary appropriation, it was revealed that many of them have either not been completed or are yet to be connected by any distribution company (DisCo).
Details of two rural power projects in Gombe State were requested. The project for the electrification of Dolli village comprises 33kV networks and the erection of 400 units of concrete poles, with their accessories. The project was awarded for N36.9 million and the REA said it had paid N33.4m to the contractor, Eash Progressive Ventures Limited. However, the REA said the project had been completed but awaiting DisCo connection (Jos DisCo).
The Dadin Kowa solar project was awarded to Writes Energy Ltd at N140.2m, but the REA has paid N134.1m. The project is on the supply of 500 units of 60 watts solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for homes, mounting kit, and accessories for 60 solar streetlights. The project has been completed and in use as it provided pictorial evidence.
Responding to enquiries on solar power provision in three communities of Nasarawa State, the agency said it completed the project, which is for streetlight. It was awarded at N80.6m to Brown Integrated Energy Ltd and the REA has paid N73.9m so far. At least 40 solar streetlights were installed in the villages
For the Gbude and Nakere abandoned projects in Wamba Local Government Area of the state, the agency said One Complete Solution Ltd got the contract and completed it for N44.9m, of which it has been paid N41.5m. However, the project comprising cable stringing and 60 pole erection has not been connected to the grid by the Abuja DisCo.
In Benue State, the REA confirmed that it completed the electrification of Opiah and Effium communities. It provided 15 high tension poles and 35 low tension poles to cover 1.6 kilometre distance through a contract it awarded at N29.9m to Vikosil Ltd, and has paid N26.2m. However, Jos DisCo was yet to connect the project to the national grid for over one year.
The REA described the Akpoga-Mission-Ipole Akpoga, Effoyo projects in Benue as completed and connected, but failed to say that Akpoga project failed shortly after commissioning. The project includes the erection of 30 low tension poles and the cables at N9.5m, which it awarded to Alzoc Company Nigeria Limited and has paid N8.8m.
The agency said it executed a solar project in 25 communities in Niger North senatorial district in Niger State. The N44.5m project was awarded to Eash Progressive Ventures Ltd, which handled the faulty power project in Dolli, Gombe State. It has been paid N42.5m, provided and completed 98 units of solar panels and 49 streetlights.
For its survey and provision of solar power solutions for Anguwan Gamu, Maro, Chikun Village, Kakau Daji, Sabon Gari/Kakau in Kaduna State, the REA said it involved supplying 550 units of solar panels for homes and 60 solar streetlights. Awarded at N185.1m and having paid N177m to Balisha Concepts Limited, the agency said the project had been completed and it is in use as it provided pictorial evidence.
For the Dadin Kowa/Burumbum /Faruruwa villages in Kano State, the REA said Balisha Concepts Ltd had been paid N177m out of N185.1m to install 120 solar panels and 60 solar streetlights and that it has been completed and in use. However, residents only identified the streetlights project.
Daily Trust on Sunday also requested for details of selected projects in Enugu State. The electrification project in Umuodama in Isi Agu communities of Ezeagu Local Government Area was one of them. The REA said it provided a 300KVA distribution transformer and built a 500 metre line for N27.2m. Privic Investment Links Ltd has been paid N24.1m so far. Although it has been completed, the project has not been energised by Enugu DisCo.
For the Cross River project, the REA provided 500KVA transformer to Adiabo Okutikang communities in Calabar Municipality. It also supplied 101 low tension, and 90 high tension poles to connect the communities in a contract awarded to Coastbound Nigeria Ltd for N36.7m. While it has paid the contractor N35.3m, the project which REA confirmed completed has not been energised by Port Harcourt DisCo. But Daily Trust on Sunday found that it was abandoned and vandalised.
In Osun State, the REA said it executed the survey and provision of solar power solutions (for streetlights and home lighting points) for Ilobe, Erin, Ison-Oseun, Ilie, Oba-Ile, Oba-Oke, Osogbo, Olorunda, Ila, Ikurun, Ilesa, Ilare -Ijesha, Ife, Iwo, and Ede towns for N169 million to Nasa Global Resources Services Ltd. The REA has paid N161.6m and the projecting comprising 480 units of solar panels and 60 solar streetlights is completed and in use, showing the evidence.
