Plateau’s Qua’an Pan LGA gets electricity for first time
Namu town in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State has been connected to the electricity grid, making it the first town to have electricity in the LGA. Before now, there had been no substantive electrification project in the local government, except for a few individuals who powered their houses or premises themselves, while […]
Namu town in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State has been connected to the electricity grid, making it the first town to have electricity in the LGA.
Before now, there had been no substantive electrification project in the local government, except for a few individuals who powered their houses or premises themselves, while other previous attempts to connect the LGA to the national grid had been unsuccessful.
The project was actualised over the weekend through the Plateau State’s rural electrification and clean energy project, and commissioned by the state governor, Caleb Mutfwang.
The 50–100 kilowatt Solar Mini-Grid Power Project implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is part of a global rural energy access initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking at the commissioning, the governor said the project is the beginning of a new journey toward transforming rural economies and empowering local communities, and that getting access to clean and reliable energy remains central to his administration’s vision of stimulating agro-allied industries, small-scale enterprises, and rural livelihoods.
“Today, Qua’an Pan that once sat in darkness has seen the light. Great things begin small, and this project is a symbol of our determination to walk the talk in providing sustainable infrastructure that unlocks rural wealth.
“The solar mini-grid represents the first of three key interventions our administration is pursuing for the people of Qua’an Pan. There is this rural electrification, improved road connectivity, and access to clean water, while the construction work on the Jibam–Namu Road is already underway, with several kilometres nearing completion.
Mutfwang commended the Federal Government, REA, UNDP, and GEF for their collaboration and urged the people of Namu, particularly the youth, to safeguard the facility and use the opportunity to engage in productive ventures that would drive local development.
In his remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Dr Abba Aliyu, explained that the Namu project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to expand rural energy access through renewable power solutions.
Aliyu revealed that the Federal Government has approved a $750 million renewable energy programme designed to deliver electricity to over 17.5 million Nigerians through more than 1,350 mini-grids nationwide.
Plateau State, according to him, will benefit from 42 mini-grid projects, 10 of which are sited in Qua’an Pan LGA.
On his part, the Chairman of Qua’an Pan LGA, Hon. Christopher Audu Manship, described the project as a leap from poverty to productivity, and pledged the community’s readiness to maintain the facility.