1000 rural communities benefit from Kogi electrification projects

The Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Tuesday said no fewer than 1000 communities across the three senatorial districts of the state would benefit from the rural electrification programme of government in 2017.

The governor, while inaugurating rural electrification projects to serve eight communities in Lokoja and Kogi local government areas of the state, said the move was to further improve the economic status of the people of the benefiting communities.

The projects inaugurated include a 33KVA Overhead Line Extension moving through Jamata from Zango-Daji junction to Banda in Lokoja Local Government.

Among benefiting communities are Banda, Kungbani, Karara, Ijiho, Ohono, Akpayan, Jamata and Koton Karfe.

Bello, who said the projects were in fulfillment of his electioneering campaign, promised to provide electricity that would ensure the opening of cottage industries in the state.

He said that the projects would improve the living standard of the people, especially the rural dwellers, and disclosed that they were completed within one year.

The governor added that the facility would be extended to more rural communities, urging artisans to take advantage of the power supply to expand their trades.

The special adviser to the governor on energy, Mr Otayitie Eminefo, said the government has lined up 1000 communities to be electrified in 2017.

Hr said the rural electrification projects were aimed at improving the socioeconomic lives of the people of the state.

“Kogi is going in a new direction and before 2019, the state will compete favourably with other developed states in the country. I will say that the Governor has done so well in so many aspects”, Eminefo stated.