As part of the priority programmes of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration in Enugu State, 300 communities have been connected to the national grid.
Some of the communities(about 185 communities) where the electricity projects have been fully completed are currently enjoying electricity while work is nearing completion in the remaining communities.
The project fully funded by the Ugwuanyi administration and handled by the Enugu State Rural Electrification Board, has boosted economic activities in the state just as rural – urban migration has been reduced.
The General Manager of the Enugu State Rural Electrification Board, Engr. Onyema Odo, who made this known while speaking with newsmen on the activities of the agency in Enugu, said the administration of Governor Ugwuanyi has fulfilled its promise to make life better for rural dwellers in the state.
In his words: “We are still working in about 300 communities since the inception of this administration. Out of these 300 communities where we have extended electricity, 185 of them have been energized and the people are enjoying electricity. Work is still ongoing in the remaining 115 communities at different stages of completion.
“We are hopeful that before the end of this year (2020), we shall have more communities that will enjoy electricity.
“The projects are funded 100 per cent by the Enugu State Government. There is no counterpart funding or donor agency participation.
“His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had made it very clear in his inaugural speech that he is interested in making sure that rural communities benefit immensely from his administration.
“So he meant his words and he has backed his words with action. Ever since he came on board, the rural communities have been so active. If you look at it very well, you find out that the rural – urban drift has been seriously reduced; a lot of cottage industries are coming up in the rural communities as a result of improved power supply.
“He has worked very well. For instance, the 123KVA Line we are enjoying at Nru-Nsukka presently which was provided by Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN and assisted by the state government has boosted power supply to the whole of Nsukka Senatorial zone.”
Odo explained that at the inception of the administration, a team of experts undertook a tour of the communities for an assessment of those that should be energised.
“Before my present appointment as GM, Enugu State Rural Electrification Board, I was the project manager for 12 years in this office. Therefore, I have toured the entire communities to know those that have electricity and those that have not. We have the data bank and that made our job easier as we started working on the Electrification projects.
“The experience is wholesome; you can’t compare light with darkness. So you can imagine the joy of a community that hadn’t had electricity for decades and all of a sudden, you start enjoying quality electricity. So the experience has been very wonderful and the communities have really appreciated Governor Ugwuanyi for the recognition he has accorded them,” Odo said.
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