About 600km
network of roads and streets in 366 locations across the State has been
lit up under the ‘Light Up Lagos’ project initiated by the Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode administration in the last one year.
According to the State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olawale
Oluwo, who disclosed this at the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing at
the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, said the project has seen the
lighting up of major areas of the State including the Third Mainland
Bridge, Ikeja and environs, Berger to Iyana Oworo axis, Muritala
Muhammed Airport Road, Oshodi axis amongst others.
He said that in a bid to ensure the sustainability of the project,
the State Government has fine-tuned plans to engage 54 private firms,
who would be saddled with the responsibility of managing the
streetlights going forward.
He explained that most of the street lights are connected to the five
Independent Power Plants (IPP) in Lagos State namely; Akute Power
Limited, Alausa Power Limited, Mainland Power Limited, Island Power
Limited and Lekki Peninsular Power Limited, which, he said, saves the
State Government significant cost that would have been incurred on
operating and maintaining generating sets.
"The saved resources are now being channeled to lighting up more
locations within the State under the operation “Light up Lagos”
initiative of the present administration,” he said.
During the period under review, the Commissioner also said that the
State Electricity Board rehabilitated Public Street Lighting in the 366
locations including the rehabilitation and connection of part of the
Third- Mainland Bridge to the Island Power Plant all measuring close to
600km of Roads and Streets across the State.
He said that Governor Ambode has also given approval for the
electrification of the 37 rural communities around Seme Border, adding
that some streetlights hitherto managed by the federal agencies and
local governments had been taken over by the State Government.
Oluwo however used the occasion to warn against destruction of
streetlights pole and cables by the residents, saying whoever damages
any street lights would bear the cost of re-fixing them.
Following the discovery of crude oil in the state by the Yinka Folawiyo
Petroleum Company, the Commissioner said that the State has established
Ibile Oil and Gas to manage oil related issues, assuring that Lagos will
be a bigger business hub with the development as more employment would
be created.
Oluwo said: "What this means is that we have own company that will not
run like NNPC. Our own Ibile Oil and Gas will operate in upstream,
midstream and downstream sector. It will not only be involved in
exploration but is also going to probably build its own petrol station.
“We must be able to give Lagos Energy security such that if anything
happens outside or NNPC shuts down operation, we must be able to power
Lagos on energy basis. That is what Ibile Oil and Gas Company of Lagos
is all about. We are interested in the future such that we can put Lagos
in the position of having its own bloc. That is for the federal
government to determine."
Harping on the achievements in the power sector, the commissioner said
that apart from aggressive installation of streetlights in all the nook
and crannies of the state, the ministry has embarked on rural
electrification and installation of solar power systems for Schools and
Public Health Centers (PHCs) which have, in turn, improved the night
economy, security, and tourism development.
On procurement of electricity transformers, Oluwo said that the ministry
installed 49 transformers at various communities in Lagos, adding that a
total of 19 500KVA, 11KV/33KV transformers were procured and installed
in Palmgroove, Gbagada and Alimosho Estates.
"The second phase of our community electrification intervention plan is
the reconnection of 32 communities in the Apa, Owode, Seme Border area
of Badagry which had been cut off from the national grid for the past 16
years," Oluwo said.
HABIB ARUNA
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
