Lagos State government on Thursday, achieved another first as the state governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), commissioned the 10.6 MW Alausa Power Project that would power the entire state secretariat, Alausa and Obafemi Awolowo Way.
Asserting that the government has made an impactful intervention in terms of safety in motoring, safety for the city and security of life and property through strategic power projects, the governor, who spoke during the commissioning of the Alausa Power plant, which was carried out in conjunction with Oando Gas and Fidelity Bank Plc, explained that several places and landmarks like the Carter bridge which is a very critical bypass into Lagos, which was abandoned for many years because it was unsafe has now been lit just like Simpson street in Lagos and the Ramp on Marina close to the Third Mainland Bridge.
He added that 12 streets have been recently lit up in Alimosho area and is already having enormous benefit because market women who hitherto closed at 5 or 6 pm are now trading into the wee hours of the night and that from recent studies their sales have already improved by over 50percent of what it used to be.
“The same is happening in the hinterland of Shomolu, people who fry Akara locally at the time before we got to Shomolu normally close at 6p.m. because they said it is not safe. Now the roasted plantain sellers and akara sellers sell till 11p.m.”, he stated.
Governor Fashola reiterated that the solution to unemployment, jobs and improved economic situation lies in made-in-Nigeria goods and expressed happiness that the Alausa Power Project was another made in project, delivered by a Nigerian government with two Nigerian companies using largely Nigerian personnel to solve a Nigerian problem.
“I see a lot of good coming out of the gloom and sorry stories. I see a lot of good. Those who continue to put our country down should continue, but some of us can see the Nigeria of tomorrow and it would not happen by magic but by hard work. Some of us, especially members of my team, dared to dream and as long as they continue to dream we would deliver stuffs like this.”
“I welcome you all warmly to the first secretariat that would run its own power without diesel on natural gas and clean fuel in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This could not have happened without Public Private Partnership (PPP). Go and check the balance sheets of Oando Gas and Fidelity Bank and the number of people they employ and you would see the gains of PPP,” he emphasised.
The governor said the Alausa Power Project, which was coming on stream now would be a substitute for over 120 generators which were being used at the Secretariat at the last count, which would also translate to an aggregate of 30 mw of inefficient megawatts of power which bothers on lost time, lost accountability, diesel supply and transport cost which would from today on be history. The power grid, through the commissioning of the Alausa Power Project, would help improve power supply in the state.
“There are two more power plants to come and we will continue to focus on public power, schools, hospitals, streetlights, courtrooms and so on and so forth, as well as religious institutions. There is a new IPP that is coming up in Lekki to power the Lekki Water Works; there is another one in Ikeja GRA that will help us power the General Hospital, the High Court, the Police Command and the Ikeja Water Works and all of those should be fully completed next year.
“In terms of public power, we are making progress; we have seen the progress already made with the streetlights alone with the number of kilometers and it is significant to now mention the permanent lighting on Ikorodu road, which is very visible every night when you are driving in and out of Lagos,” Governor Fashola said.
Source: Tribune
