The Federal Government has urged state governors to take proactive and deliberate efforts for Nigerians to enjoy electricity supply.
A member of the REA board member representing South West, Michael Oluwagbemi disclosed this yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, state capital.
He emphasized that the governors especially in the south-west could improve the economy of their states by investing in the power sector instead of expanding huge funds on intangible projects.
The government through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) he noted that power is on the concurrent list, and explained that the sub-nationals should collaborate with private companies and investors in the power sectors for the people to have adequate access to electricity supply in their communities.
Oluwagbemi, commended the agency in the last year for its remarkable achievement in its area of core mandates of ensuring access to electrification in rural areas and renewable energy in the country.
He reiterated that the sub-nationals could enhance power supply coverage and accessibility. Adding that the REA official said that the state governments also have the right to build mini-grid power for their people.
He further stated that the governors should collaborate with private companies to set up power development companies. Adding that the sub-national government should take advantage of this opportunity to improve access to power for our people.
“Many states in the North are taking advantage of this and I will want our states here in the southwest to follow suit. We should stop complaining to the federal government which has just about 15 per cent in the entire power sector deals;
“The Governors should step up and be proactive because most of these challenges we are having as it relates to electricity can be addressed with the right policies and political will by state governors.
“Ensure that you extend the grid to the areas that do not have it. To also leverage technology for more people to have power, especially off-grid systems not necessarily from the national grid.
On the interventions of the agency across the country in the last year, Oluwagbemi stressed that aside from collaboration with private companies in the power sector, REA has installed thousands of solar-powered street lights in many states of the federation, including Ekiti state.
According to him, ” Universal access to power by people especially those in the rural areas is our major concern in REA because It is not about getting people connected to the grid, but getting the power to our homes, that is our mandate to the people.
“Apparently, with the need to do more and advance the cause of rural energy access while implementing the renewable energy mandate as envisaged in the law, REA in 2022 renewed itself to this course and I’m proud to say has delivered.
The Southwest which I represent has benefited immensely from these initiatives with almost 100 MW of grid impact projects, and 160km of streetlights installed.
“Specifically in Ekiti state, we attracted several marquee projects including solar street lights systems in Igede Ekiti, Ikole Ekiti, Ado Ekiti, Odo Oro Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti. Stand-alone home systems for commercial and residential users under the Poverty Eradication Intervention initiative of the FGN are currently ongoing.
“Ensure that we extend the grid to the areas that do not have it. To also leverage on technology for more people to have power, especially off-grid systems not necessarily from the national grid.”
Oluwagbemi who condemned the estimated billing system by the power distribution companies stated that it was criminal for the discos not to provide prepaid meters to different homes in the country.
“There is no legal basis for billing people with that system, it is just guesswork and I believe these people should not be in the business of power distribution if you can’t give me a meter to measure what I use, in REA, we don’t condone.
“It should not be allowed and I believe the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) should enforce it.
“Their job is to sell power and you can’t provide the basic equipment needed to measure what you are selling to me, it is just a business of ripping off, nothing else,” he said.