BY ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos
Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) chairman of Qua’an-Pan local government area of Plateau State, Hon Christopher Audu Wallat, has installed a 200 kW solar hybrid grid mini power plant in Namu, a commercial community, to boost economic activities in the area.
Wallat, who spoke with newsmen during a visit to the site at the premises of the Divisional Police Headquarters in Namu, lamented that since the creation of Namu town, which is the biggest town in Qua’an-Pan local government area, it has not enjoyed electricity.
He said the people go to business centres’ operators in nearby towns of Shirmankar, Assakio, Lafia and Kwande.
He said the use of clean energy technology to provide electricity is an added advantage to rural communities. He stressed that, it will provide clean, safe, affordable and reliable electricity for the community members.
Wallat said with this development, rural communities will be transformed with clean energy through the jobs that are created during construction and micro and small businesses scaling to larger ones.
He said homes, business centres, schools and medical centres will be connected to sustainable solar power.
“We have 76 polling units in Namu. We are more than some local government areas in Plateau State in terms of population. You can see electric poles have been mounted, all the necessary equipment is already on the ground before the end of this month light will be everywhere in Namu town,” he assured.
He said the mini grid will supply constant electricity and provide reliable electricity to over one million households which comprises commercial users, productive users and public users in the community to improve the socio-economic life of the community.
“The development will invariably propel economic growth and improve small and medium scale business activities within the community. Besides, the mini grid, with a total installed capacity of 200KW has been deployed based on international best practice and standards,” he said.
According to the TIC chairman, they have sensitised traditional and religiously leaders and the youth to guard the facility jealously as the place will be secured 24 hours, adding that they have also informed the people that this is their hope, anybody who knows how important electricity is will not jeopardize this effort, he noted.
“With the installation of this solar mini grid plant, it will provide electricity and a lot of jobs for our teeming youths, like those operating barbing saloons, business centres, grinding engines operators and making of ice blocks, because the temperature here is very hot. People will like to take cold drinks. In fact with this development Namu is becoming an urban town,” he said.
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