After over five years of being in total darkness, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday commissioned an electrification project connecting 67 communities in Ibeju-Lekki area of the state to the national grid.
Ambode, who commissioned the project amidst fanfare form joyous residents, also announced the readiness of the state government to pay the electricity bill of residents until the installation of metres in all homes in the affected communities.
The governor said the project was another success story of the Light Up Lagos Project, an initiative of his administration.
The Light Up Lagos Project, which is a key programme of the Ambode administration, was built on a tripod which included Community Electrification, Street Lightening and Power Advisory Committee made up of key stakeholders from the public and private sector.
The Advisory Committee which was set up in December 2015 by Ambode is chaired by Deputy Governor, Oluranti Adebule, and its major role is to develop a roadmap to provide sustainable power supply to homes and businesses in Lagos in the medium to long term.
Speaking at the commissioning, a visibly elated Ambode recalled that the attention of his administration was drawn to the plight of residents of Ibeju Lekki, Ise and Ode-Omi comprising 67 communities in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government and Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA) some few months back to the fact that the communities have been without electricity for over five years.
The governor said: “After a due assessment of the situation, we commenced work last year October and we promised to ensure that these 68 communities are connected to the national grid.
“Today, we are delighted to say that these communities have been connected to the national grid.
“To make this project a reality, 33kv dedicated high-tension lines were laid from Ajah sub-station to Eleko junction and from there spread to 68 communities a high tension network covering 131.5 kilometres was rehabilitated and 86 transformers were installed at a total cost of N600million.
“Beyond fulfilling our promise to these 68 communities, we have also demonstrated our commitment to run an all-inclusive government which no one will be left behind.
“It is expected that the commissioning of this project will boost the socio-economic activities in this area after having suffered untold setback for over five years.”
The governor, who said he was fully aware that lack of access to electricity was not peculiar to the said 67 communities alone, disclosed that the state government, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, was currently attending to similar challenge involving 34 communities in Badagry.
He said before September of 2016, the communities would be connected to the national grid.
“As we do this, we shall continue with the street lightening of the Light Up Lagos Initiative. The vision is to ensure that we light up all major roads and border towns in the state.”
