Lagos cancels transformer distribution in urban areas

Lagos cancels transformer distribution in
urban areas
on november 11, 2013 at 3:03 am in news
… sets agenda for megacity status blue-print
BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR
OLOWOOPEJO
Lagos — Lagos State government has ruled out
distribution of transformers and carrying out fresh
electrification projects in the semi-urban and urban
areas.
This was revealed by the Commissioner for Rural
Development, Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, who spoke to
Vanguard in Ikeja on the highlights of the state’s
2013 Community Week Celebration.
Ojelabi, who noted that there’s high demand for
transformers with an average of seven transformer
requests daily from residents said: “With the
privatisation of the Power Holding Company of
Nigeria, PHCN, we will still continue with the
distribution of transformers to residents of the
state, but this time, we will be focusing the rural
areas.
“The rural areas are those places that we know the
new investors can’t get to in the next five years
while the semi-urban and urban areas will be left
for the new investors to manage.
“As we receive requests for transformers from
residents of urban and semi-urban areas, we will
aggregate it and send it to the investors for
distribution. All our projects will focuse more on
rural areas, especially in terms of providing
electricity.”
On why the state was still embarking on
electrification projects, Ojelabi, stressed that the
state government could not just hands-off from
issues concerning electricity in the state hurriedly,
otherwise residents will continue to have challenges
with accessing electricity.
“As part of our activities, we will be driving the new
investors to the rural areas because we know the
state better.
“While those in the distribution, should focus on
providing the pre-paid metres, with this, residents
will only pay for the power supply they have used, “
he said.
Meantime, as part of its efforts to make the city of
Lagos livable, the state government will hold a
conference to examine the implications of attaining
a megacity status as well as focus on health and
social issues that characterise a megacity.
The conference tagged, ‘The Livable City; Preparing
for the Mental and Social Health Needs of the Lagos
Mega City,’ is expected to draw participants from
members of the state’s Executive Council and other
policy makers, lawmakers, city planners,
journalists, public opinion leaders, leaders of private
industry, leaders in the health, education,
environment and social welfare sectors, religious
and traditional leaders, as well as members of the
general public.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who
disclosed this, weekend, on the objective of the
conference, said it was scheduled to start
Thursday.