The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to provide solar-powered electricity to 10,000 homes in rural communities across the state.
The project which aims to address the energy needs of off-grid areas, is a collaboration between the Cross River State Electrification Agency (SEA) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abuja.
The initiative comes as a response to the challenging terrain hampering many rural areas from connecting to the national power grid. Governor Otu’s administration, under its ‘People’s First’ agenda, has emphasized energy sufficiency and food security as cornerstones of socioeconomic development. The solar project is seen as a critical step in fulfilling this vision.
To bring the initiative to fruition, ASOLAR Systems Nigeria Limited, a company with specialty in sustainable energy, has been contracted as the sole supplier of Solar Home Systems (SHS). ASOLAR’s Managing Director, Mr. Hakeem Shagaya and his team recently met with Cross River’s Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, to finalize plans for the project’s launch.
“This administration is focused on the people, especially those in rural areas who often feel left out of infrastructural development in the cities,” Rt. Hon. Odey stated during the meeting.
The project, funded through a 70/30 percent counterpart arrangement between the REA and the state government, is expected to bring the much-needed power supply to communities that have hitherto been underserved. The Commissioner for Power, Mr. Eka Williams, has described the initiative as a “welcome development.”
The Director General of the State Electrification Agency, Mr. Francis Ekpo, praised Governor Otu’s commitment to rural development and assured the public of the diligent distribution of the solar systems.