Residents and leaders in over 40 communities in Ibeju-Lekki area have been urged to embrace the Electricity Cooperative Model being proposed by the Lagos State Government to end 15 years of blackout in the axis.
The advice was given by the Chairman, Lekki Community Development Area, Rasak Bamidele Kasali, and Chairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, Abdullahi Sesan Olowa, respectively during the interactive consultation session organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources with concerned stakeholders in the corridor.
They enjoined all stakeholders to see the interaction session as a way out of the present state of instability in electricity supply to the various communities within the council.
The council chairmen enlightened the people that the Electricity Cooperative Model, which is the first of its kind, required the full support of residents with the cooperation of both the local and state governments to be effective.
They advised the residents to embrace the model, just as they assured the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote, of the readiness of the two councils to ensure the success of the new electricity supply initiative.
One of the traditional rulers in the communities, the Onise of Ise Land, Oba Abduraheem Adegbesin, thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for remembering the communities after long years of neglect.
Another community leader, who identified himself simply as Alogba, wants the government to ensure proper monitoring of the project to guide against vandals. He also wants the government to build the infrastructure to fit into the proposed expansion/ reconstruction of Eleko –Ibeju-Lekki road. Before then, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote, disclosed to the residents and community leaders that the state government had entered a partnership with African Development Bank (AfDB) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) to fully restore electricity supply to the neighborhoods.
According to him, the initiative was part of the Lagos State Electricity policy to explore different ways to get electricity supply sustainably to all communities in the state.
Odusote stated that the new initiative would help fast track the supply of electricity to many communities within the council, urging residents and community leaders to cooperate with the state government to bring the lofty initiative to fruition.
Explaining the concept of the Lagos State Electricity Cooperatives with the AfDB, the commissioner stated that the entire expenses needed to provide power supply to the residents of the affected communities within the councils would be shouldered by the bank.
He explained further that AfDB has identified a need for electrification in Lagos and has come with the cooperative model it’s willing to fund, adding that the cooperative model works by ensuring there is ownership of the infrastructure by the community.
According to him, the beneficiaries of the power supply that would be made possible through the partnership with AfDB are expected to enter into a cooperative for convenient repayment plan through the EKEDC.
Odusote said that the ministry is currently mobilising the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association USA (NRECA)’s contractor, who is expected to come in and carry out the Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to determine the impact of the project on the communities, adding that after this has been done, the contractor would commence work.
“The communities will be tasked to ensure that they can key to the electricity and ensure they pay, and ensure that from the proceeds of the electricity sales they can pay for the infrastructure,” he said.
The move, the commissioner said, aimed at extending power supply including provision of pre-paid meters to residents of the area within the shortest possible time without putting unnecessary burden on the beneficiaries of the gesture.
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