Abia State is set to intensify its push for cleaner and more reliable power as Governor Alex Otti moves to remove the bottlenecks affecting renewable energy programmes in the state.
Otti announced the plan on Thursday during a meeting with representatives of the Rural Electrification Agency, the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles at the Government House, Umuahia.
The engagement, according to the REA in a statement released on Friday, focused on stalled energy projects and ways to get existing agreements between the state and federal agencies back on track.
The governor said his administration was prepared to take immediate steps to unlock the opportunities available in the renewable energy sector. He also expressed interest in the figures and information presented by the delegation, saying they would help the state determine its next course of action.
Otti gave the officials a two-week window to expect feedback from the state, describing the programme involving 10 states as one of the most accessible opportunities for quick progress.
He further pointed to the state’s electric bus programme as another area where Abia had recorded encouraging developments, noting its contribution to the government’s broader environmental and energy objectives.
As part of efforts to improve the execution of the projects, the governor announced plans to designate a state representative who would serve as the link between Abia and the relevant federal institutions.
On his part, REA chief executive Abba Aliyu explained that the agency had carried out assessments to identify communities nationwide where access to electricity remained inadequate.
Aliyu said work was already underway on 1,000 mini-grid schemes spread across several parts of the country, aimed at extending power supply to communities outside the reach of conventional electricity networks.
He revealed that an agreement reached between the REA and Abia State in the previous year had not progressed as expected because of delays in implementation. However, he said the agency was willing to resume its support once the state showed renewed commitment to moving the projects forward.
The discussion was attended by the Governor’s Principal Secretary and Chief Strategy Officer, Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, as well as members of the Abia State Executive Council.
