Rural economy: Rivers sets for aggressive rural electrification
Rural economy will receive a boost as the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has stated that his administration will embark on aggressive rural electrification as part of the state’s golden jubilee celebration.
Speaking at the weekend during the presentation of transformers donated to communities of Rivers East Senatorial District by their senator, George Sekibo, the governor said his administration was embarking on rural electrification in a bid to revive rural economies.
Represented by his chief of staff, Chukwuemeka Woke, the governor said the rural electrification scheme would empower small and medium sized businesses in rural areas and also create jobs for unemployed youths.
Governor Wike said: “The state government believes that to stimulate the economies of rural communities, rural electrification is key. Once there is rural electrification, micro-economies will be activated and unemployed youths empowered.
“As part of our golden jubilee celebrations, more communities will be linked to our aggressive rural electrification schemes.”
Governor Wike informed that his administration is working with a major independent power producer to ensure uninterrupted power supply to major business and government facilities in the state.
He said: ‘The State Government has set up a high-powered committee to interface with a major Independent Power Producer to electrify key areas and facilities in the State.
“This is to ensure that small and medium sized businesses owners have access to electricity to carry out their trades in a financially friendly environment.”
On the reach out to his constituents by Thompson Sekibo, the senator representing Rivers East senatorial district , Wike described him as a worthy lawmaker who placed the interest of his people above other considerations.
In his remarks, Sekibo said the distribution of transformers to benefiting communities was aimed at supporting the rural electrification scheme of the Wike administration. He said benefiting communities were selected in liaison with the state government and major stakeholders from the local government areas that make up the district.
Highlight of the occasion was the distribution of the transformers to the benefiting communities by the representative of the governor.