BoI boosts living in Gombe rural community with N24KW solar power

Bank of Industry (BoI) has brought succour to thousands of rural dwellers in Kolwa, Kaltungo Local Government of Gombe State with the commissioning of 24KW micro-grid solar solution.

This is even as the governor of the state, Ibrahim Dankwambo stated that the state had concluded plans with a development finance institution to replicate the project in other nine local governments of the state.

Prior to the installation of the solar power system, the over 250 households in the rustic and largely agrarian village, like other remote communities across the country, subsisted on self-power generation, largely seen as unhealthy.

The Kolwa electrification project is a 24KW capacity installation that covers a 6km distribution network, and is also capable providing commercial ventures with electricity.

While the BoI/UNDP solar power pilot project is to be installed in six rural communities in the six geo-political zones of the country, the Kolwa project makes it three, having previously been installed in Bisanti, in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State, and in Onibambu, Ife-North LGA in Osun State.

The three others – Ogbekpen, Ikpoba in Okha LGA, Edo State,  Onono, Anambra West LGA, in Anambra State and Carwa/Cakum, Markarfi LGA, in Kano State are awaiting commissioning.

Speaking during the commissioning of the project in Kolwa, the acting managing director, BoI, Waheed Olagunju stated that the N44m rural electrification project being financed by the bank in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme would provide electricity for over 200 homes not connected to the national grid.