NEDC installs solar power systems in Adamawa LGs

The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has initiated a significant project to install solar power systems throughout Adamawa State, aiming to alleviate the persistent problem of power outages. This initiative will cover all 21 local government areas, marking a crucial step towards improving electricity access and stability in the region.

Alhaji Khalifa Lawan, the NEDC's Adamawa State coordinator, explained that the project is a key component of Pillar Seven of the commission's master plan. He highlighted its dual purpose: to stimulate small-scale business activities and to enhance community security. "Criminals enjoy operating in darkness, but when there is light, they are afraid because they can be identified by people who know them," Lawan stated, underscoring the security advantages of increased lighting.

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The solar power system is not only going to improve business activities; it will also reduce criminal activities in the state. Criminals enjoy operating in darkness, but when there is light, they are afraid because they can be identified by people who know them. So, the solar power system has security advantages apart from boosting business activities.

The project's first phase will see the installation of 1,000 solar power systems across the 21 local government areas. Additionally, the state capital, Yola, is slated to receive over 2,000 solar power systems, separate from other solar installations like boreholes. This extensive rollout is designed to provide a reliable alternative to the erratic power supply the state has long endured.

Lawan emphasized that NEDC projects are community-driven, with the commission prioritizing the needs identified by the beneficiary communities themselves. "We don't just go to a community and execute any project we want. We ask the benefiting community what its immediate needs are," he said. He urged community members to protect the newly installed systems to ensure their long-term benefit. Meanwhile, NEDC Managing Director Alhaji Mohammed Alkali recently announced the approval of approximately N100 billion for a 50-megawatt power grid project aimed at supplying electricity to local government areas across the six North-East states, further demonstrating the commission's commitment to regional development.

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We don’t just go to a community and execute any project we want. We ask the benefiting community what its immediate needs are. If it is water, a hospital, road or school, we carry out the project of their choice.