By Seun Ibiyemi
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has pledged to partner with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to accelerate renewable energy projects across the state, acknowledging that Abia cannot afford to lag behind in renewable energy deployment given its vast potential.
Otti made the commitment on Thursday when he received a high-level delegation from the REA, the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), and the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG & EV) at the Government House, Umuahia.
L-R: Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti with the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr Abba Aliyu after a meeting at the Governor’s office, Umuahia, Abia State yesterday.
The governor said his administration would work to resolve outstanding operational delays and activate existing agreements with the federal agency to ensure faster implementation of renewable energy projects in the state.
He acknowledged that Abia had not progressed as expected in renewable energy deployment but expressed confidence that his administration would reverse the trend within a short period.
“Just watch us and see what will happen in the next 14 days. It’s very interesting to watch this presentation. I would like to have another session with you because some of the data you captured here are what I need to work with,” Otti said.
He assured the delegation that the state would respond within 14 days and identified an initiative covering 10 states as one of the immediate opportunities the state could pursue.
The governor also highlighted Abia’s pioneering efforts in deploying electric buses, noting that the initiative had already produced positive results in advancing green energy in the state.
To improve coordination between the state and federal agencies, Otti assured the delegation that a state focal person would be appointed immediately to facilitate the implementation of renewable energy initiatives.
L-R: Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles, Barr. Ismael Ahmed, MD/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and the MD/CEO of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr Armstrong Takang exchanging pleasantries with the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, at the commissioning of 20 electric buses for the Abia Green Shuttle Service in Umuahia, Abia state yesterday.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Dr. Abba Aliyu, disclosed that the agency had mapped communities across Nigeria to identify areas requiring rural electrification interventions.
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He said the REA was currently deploying 1,000 mini-grids across various states as part of efforts to expand access to electricity through decentralised energy solutions.
Aliyu noted that an initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the REA and Abia State in the previous year had encountered delays, but assured the state of the agency’s readiness to provide the necessary support once the state demonstrates active commitment to the projects.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Strategy Officer, Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, as well as key members of the Abia State Executive Council.
