The rural electricity projects are sited in Emekutu, Ikebe and Ojagbo communities in Kogi East, just as Ayetoro Gbede, Isanlu, Anguwan-Kura, Araromi and Olujumu are the benefiting communities in Kogi West senatorial district of the state.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), while inaugurating the projects, said the Federal Government through a combination of options was providing electricity access to its populace, in a sustainable manner for social economic development.
The President, who was represented by the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, observed that with the provision of affordable electricity access, it was expected that the standard of living of the rural populace would be improved through quality health care service, education, agricultural production and security.
The President further explained that the strategy of this government was to provide electricity access through the implementation of grid extension projects in locations with high proximity to national grid and implementation of renewable energy, especially solar powered mini-grids, where it is economically viable to do so particularly in remote and rural areas with difficult geographical terrain.
The president said, “Electricity and energy projects are capital intensive and therefore, the task of implementing such projects cannot be borne by government alone. In this vein, my government has progressively been developing policies and regulations to provide clear roadmap and incentives to attract private sector participation in financing, developing, operating and maintenance of rural electrification projects.
“Some of the programmes of my administration designed to increase electricity access especially through renewable power in accordance with Nigeria’s commitment to reducing global warming as contained in the updated National Determined Contributions of the Paris Climate Change Accord.”
President Buhari assured Nigerians that his administration had successfully implemented and would continue to implement a wide range of infrastructural programmes that would have positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of the citizenry.
In his words, “We are determined to ensure the financial sustainability of the electricity market by enhancing our strategies to facilitate contract effectiveness.
“Additionally, in our quest to enhance universal access to electricity, we are developing economically viable off-grid projects that can be replicated all over the country.
“The commissioning of this project is a big step towards achieving our goal of increasing electrification rate to 90% by year 2030.”
President Buhari, therefore, charged the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to properly maintain the valuable equipment installed in their network for effective service delivery to the benefiting communities.
The Principal Project Engineer, Federal Ministry of Power, Ibrahim Shehu, gave the breakdown of the scope of the project in Kogi East to include the installation of 2Nos.300kVA, 33/0.415kV distribution substation, construction of 4.2km of 150mm2 Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR) High Tension lines and 2.75km of All Aluminium Conductor (AAC) Low Tension distribution network in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
On the other hand, the scope of the projects covered supply and installation of 2km of 150mm2 Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced, High Tension Over Head Lines and 2km of All Aluminum Conductor Low Tension Over Head Lines, route lengths (for conductors, poles and other accessories) in Kogi West senatorial district, as well as installation of 5Nos.500kVA distribution transformers.
