Tinubu approves 500,000 solar lights for S’East households — Deputy Speaker, Kalu

By Steve Oko Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said President Bola Tinubu has approved the provision of 500,000 solar-powered lights for rural households in the South-East. Kalu disclosed this at the flag-off of the Renewed Hope Light-Up initiative, during which 26 transformers and 10,000 solar-powered lights and fans were distributed to communities in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State.

He said 42,000 households in the constituency had been earmarked to benefit from the initiative, with the first batch of 10,000 solar-powered lights and fans expected to be delivered within two weeks. According to him, 1,000 units had already been distributed as a pilot scheme, with representatives from the federal constituency’s wards confirming their functionality.

Kalu said the initiative was designed to make the benefits of the Renewed Hope Agenda tangible to rural residents, particularly households that had struggled with unreliable electricity supply. He described the planned provision of solar-powered lights to 42,000 households in a single federal constituency as unprecedented, adding that the initiative would help improve access to electricity in underserved communities.

The lawmaker representing Bende South Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Ndubuisi, described the intervention as significant, noting that some communities had been without electricity for about two years following transformer failures. A representative of the project contractor, Solar Systems Nigeria, Peter Oko, said the initiative would also provide opportunities for youth training and empowerment.

He assured beneficiaries of the company’s commitment to delivering quality and reliable services. Earlier, Director-General of the Ben Kalu Campaign Council, Emma Trump Eke, described the intervention as a landmark project for Bende Federal Constituency.