The communities are Oloyan in Ovia South West LGA and Sule Camp in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Speaking at the Commissioning ceremony at Oloyan and Sule Camp,the Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency ,REA, Engr Abba Abubakar Aliu, represented by Engr Doris Uboh(Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, said the two communities are among fifty two rural communities that have been connected with 100KPw under the second call of the rural electrification project of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
She said the agency during the project design for the deployment of the mini-grid, took into consideration the economic activities the communities are known for,and urged the communities to own and protect the 100KWp Hybrid Solar Mini-Grid electricity installation.
She said,
“The Rural Electrification Fund remains a key mechanism of the Federal Government, designed to enable developmental impact in rural communities through the provision of sustainable energy access. The off-grid, renewable energy ecosystem in Nigeria will continue to be a driving force for the Nigerian economy.
“Through the multidimensional impact of the REA’s nationwide footprint, 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.
“Leaning on the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and optimizing the sector’s blueprint as captured in the 2023 Electricity Act passed into Law by His Excellency, we are at a critical stage of our journey towards nation-wide energy access scale-up. The REA continues to play a key role in theFederal Government’s energy access scale-up plans
“These projects are some of the many testaments of the work that we do at the REA, connecting last-mile communities to clean, sustainable energy sources and facilitating the growth of socioeconomic systems through productive use. I am happy to inform you today that this renewable energy facility will cater to the energy needs of the 492 households in Oloyan, while ensuring that the industrious residents of this community make the best use of this opportunity to gradually build its developmental pillars.”
Also Speaking,the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Edo State Electrification Agency, Engr. Osazuwa Ozigbo-Esere, thanked the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and said,the rural electrification project is part of the priorities of his government.
He said. “I would like to begin by commending the Rural Electrification Agency for its unwavering commitment to bringing sustainable energy solutions to our communities. This is not the first mini-grid to be deployed in Edo State and, from the impact recorded so far, I am confident this will not be the last. It is quite impressive and a thing of pride to have you here to commission not one but two solar hybrid mini-grids in two different communities, with a total capacity of 200kWp.”
Also, the Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government Council,Engr Edosa Enowoghomwenma,
as well as the Community leaders of Oloyan and Sulecamp communities expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the implementers of the projects for finding their communities worthy to provide this kind of infrastructure which will improve their livelihoods. They further committed to ensuring the safety and security of the infrastructure.”
