By Ayodele Afolabi, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Government has sought the intervention of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in Abuja to resolve the problem of epileptic power supply in some rural areas in the state.
The state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, who led a delegation of some state officials to a meeting at the agency’s head office in Abuja, said the state would require an improved power supply to drive economic development and achieve his government’s vision for shared prosperity.
Oyebanji said he aligned his vision for a developed and prosperous Ekiti with the electrification agency to engender sustainable and affordable electricity supply to every sector in the state.
He, therefore, stressed the need to increase the quantum of generated electric energy available in Ekiti State through the transmission of more 132KV lines.
Earlier, Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, said that the electricity situation in Ekiti State had gradually reduced the megawatts given to the state.
He listed the areas for consideration by the agency in terms of electricity to include, market areas, education institutions, technology centers, load points, processing centers and dams.
Managing Director, REA, Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, said the agency was set up to provide access to reliable electric power supply for rural dwellers, in a way that would allow a reasonable return on investment through appropriate tariff that is economically responsive and supportive to the average rural customers.
He said the various programmes being run by the agency with bilateral agreements with state governments and rural communities to include rural electrification fund, Africa mini-grid programme, solar power Naija programme, energising agriculture programme and Korean electrification project, among others.
Ahmed said the agency would partner Ekiti State government with the inclusion of private investors to demonstrate the energy capacities in various sites.
Source: The Guardian