The Federal government agency known as, “the Rural Electrification Agency” (REA) in conjunction with Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI) has generated
30-kilowatt power outage for the popular Ayegbaju International Market in Osogbo, Osun State capital to reduce the use of generating sets, especially at this time of subsidy removal in the country.
Speaking at an inspection visit to the agency’s office in Osogbo and impact assessment of power generation in the market on Friday, the Managing Director of REA, Engineer Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad,
revealed that the agency has generated power outages for 48 shops, out of the targeted 1,600 shops in the markets.
Accompanied by REA Technical Services, Barka Sajou and Rural Electrification Fund, Mrs Saadatu Belgore, the Managing Director, assured that in no distant time, the remaining shops in the market would also be given adequate attention.
“The project is still ongoing, it is 95 per cent done, this is 30KWP, we have seen the readiness of the market women to embrace the concept, we have gone round, we are trying to use this concept to reduce the use of generator set especially this time of subsidy removal.”
He however explained that the project is the pilot phase of electrifying those that are off the national grid before replicating it in other places in the country.
“We have seen the potential of this concept and we are coming back with the developer to scale up the concept for the entire market. We are targeting 1600 shops but presently we have done 48 shops. In the next couple of months, it will go round.”
“The project is to reduce the emission of carbon by generator set, serve those who are not connected to the national grid and lessons learnt from the pilot phase will be looked into so as to model for sustainable and collaborative projects with the States and Distribution Companies.”
“Once the construction is completed, the State Government and/or DisCo, developer, and REA will be able to sit with the Market Association to sign a multilateral agreement which ensures the long-term viability of the project while ensuring energy access to the markets.”
Engineer Ahmad further maintained, “We are here to see the ongoing project here in Osun, we are very happy with what we have seen here today, it has proven that the concept that we are trying to showcase…if we are able to use this concept to work with market women we can scale it up in other areas.”
While responding, the Chairman of the market, Oroleye Musibau commended the federal government for the project and charged the agency to improve on the tempo.
He described the project as an inspirational one that was well embraced by all and sundry in the market and appealed to other agencies to also emulate the agency to affect humanities positively.
The Chairman however called for spreading of electrification across the market but maintained that, “with this first phase, it will reduce the cost we are spending on electricity.
Mr. Oroleye who added that, the federal government should put other market women in the area in minds, prayed to God to fortify the agency the more for greater things that would be done for humanity.
Meanwhile, traders in the market applauded the gesture, which they described as a rare opportunity and promised to make use of it judiciously.
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