Yobe solar project: Sinking billions without benefits

approval for teh project Just about three weeks ago, the present administration of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam approved the installation of such solar poles and panels along the 18.6km Damaturu inner ring road to one GAAT Investment Limited at nearly one billion naira, precisely, N958 million for erection of 766 solar powered poles. This is coming […]

approval for teh project

Just about three weeks ago, the present administration of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam approved the installation of such solar poles and panels along the 18.6km Damaturu inner ring road to one GAAT Investment Limited at nearly one billion naira, precisely, N958 million for erection of 766 solar powered poles. This is coming after late governor Mamman Ali spent N679 million for the installation of about 700 street lights, also in the state capital towards the end of 2007, when the late governor first launched the project in the state. The commissioner for environment under the late Ali, Alhaji Musa Dumburi had promised that the solar light poles would reduce pressure on the environment and ensure constant power supply to the streets arguing, that as the world stroive to control global warming, the use of solar system as an alternative way of generating energy would go a long way in protecting the environment.

“We are happy that that the underutilized energy would now be fully tapped. We are equally happy that the increasing pressure on PHCN with attendant erratic power supply will be reduced”, the commissioner had said then. Dumburi who is now the commissioner for agriculture added that the use of solar energy was equally advantageous in controlling air pollution and by extension “reducing the preponderance of diseases.”

Two years later, another government official, the current state commissioner for transport and energy Muhammad Dakasku came up with more promises. He also said while signing the latest contract on behalf of the state that he Yobe State government had made an investment of about N2 billion on the solar street light project and curiously, for Damaturu alone.

morries about sabotage

He however raised worries of sabotage by residents through vandalising of the solar power facilities, threatening that any motorist that destroyed any of the solar poles and lamps would be forced to pay the ministry of transport and energy the sum of one million naira. He equally warned against the use of sub-standard materials, as government would not condone the violation of contract terms on “specifications and minimum standards.”

But while the commissioner’s concern seemed to be on vandalism, some residents had raised other concerns, bothering on the project itself, arguing that such heavy investment was a misplacement of priority because so far it had not added meaningful value to the economic fortunes of the people especially since it neither produced adequate light for the streets nor provided power to welders, iron benders, tailors and other artisans because the poles were restricted to street lightening alone even as many areas in the state capital were yet to have access to electricity.

“More worrisome perhaps is that the recent move to install more along the ring-road may likely be a bonus to bandits who are fond of stealing the batteries because the bye pass is not yet developed in terms of industrial and residential buildings”, Ali Salihu, a tailor  along Gashua road observed. He noted that even those positioned in the metropolis were under severe attack by thieves and reckless drivers.

Kanem Trust reports that most of the poles erected between 2007 and 2008 have had one problem or the other which calls for repairs while many others were destroyed by hit and run drivers.

A drive at night along Maiduguri road, Gujba, Gashua as well as Potiskum roads all in Damaturu where the solar lights have been installed two years ago show that many are not working ,while scores of such poles fell by the streets.

substandard poles

Our correspondent learnt from a reliable source at the ministry of energy that most of the people especially drivers that were caught after hitting the solar poles could hardly afford paying compensation of the stipulated N1 million because even the vehicles they were driving were cheaper than such poles.

Observers said, that for now, the solar light was far more expensive when compared with the output being received from electricity.

“So far over N2.5 billion have been committed in the project in Damaturu alone… I think if such funds were channelled into installation of transformers, the positive effect would have been more glaring because artisans would benefit from it”, Ali Isa, an engineer at the Power Holding Company (PHCN) in Damaturu opined.

Our correspondent reports that even in 2007, the programme of moving to solar energy in the state ran into a hitch when the contractor handling the project at that time fabricated substandard poles with the aim of short-changing the government, a move which the then governor resisted, revoked the contract and awarded it to Asteg and Midlands, another company based in Abuja after reviewing the contract upward to about N2 billion.

Even after completion by the new contractor, the problem continued unabated especially in April this year when heavy windstorm destroyed dozens of the solar poles at the expense of the government. Engineers at the ministry of transport and energy attributed the problem to the weak slabs used by the contractor while erecting the poles.

Apart from that, heavy trucks have continued to hit the poles and on many occasions left the scene without being caught.

Engineer Charles Amadi of Asteg and Midlands Ltd in an interview with our correspondent said solar energy systems was a viable option that could ensure economic prosperity especially in places that were endowed with enough sunlight like Yobe.

“Solar energy can stand the test of time. The poles that we are installing here are made in England. The batteries and the panels are made in India and Dubai respectively while the controller is made by Sharp Corporation”, Engineer Charles said.

“The system has a controller which taps the solar energy and charges the batteries. When the solar panel collects the sunlight, the controller automatically transforms it to DC which charges the batteries. When the sunlight goes off, the controller automatically switches on the light which can function properly even during the rainy season. A great advantage of the solar system is that it operates automatically and the batteries can last for over 25 years”, the engineer stressed.

This has however turned to a mere rhetoric because most of the panels haven’t worked for six months without having problems, with some often requiring complete replacement and therefore highly expensive and less viable.

Late Governor Mamman Ali had shortly before his death proposed independent power project (IPP) for government and business concerns through the establishment and acquisition of an Independent solar thermal station.

At that time, the late governor said the decision was predicated on the “enormous solar potentials in the state” which according to him “can be tapped to good advantage”.