… To implement mini-grid scheme for rural communities

In a bid to continue the provision of potable water to the people of Oyo State, the state government has approved the procurement of 1,194 tons of Aluminum Sulphate at the cost of N399,990,000.

The government equally approved the implementation of mini-grid scheme for rural communities in the state to provide electric city supply to the rural areas.

This is line with the rural and urban development agenda of the Governor ’ Seyi Makinde administration.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the approvals for the procurement of the 1,194 tons of chemical called Aluminum Sulphate, at the cost of N399,990,000, and the implementation of mini-grid schemes were part of the resolutions reached at the 6th Executive Council Meeting of 2021, held on Tuesday.

The statement followed a press briefing addressed by the Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, and his counterpart in the Ministry Energy and Mineral Resources, Barr. Temilolu Ashamu, held at the Press Centre of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Olatubosun, while speaking on the decisions taken, said that the approval for the procurement of the chemical was in line with the government's vision to provide proper water treatment that will produce good drinking water for the citizens of the state and meet up with the Nigerian standard for water quality.

He said that the chemical will be distributed to all the branches of the Water Corporation in the state so as to be able to give potable water to people in the state.

He said: “We are here to brief you on the outcome of the 6th State Executive Council meeting of 2021. We deliberated and approved the procurement of the Aluminum Sulphate water treatment chemical, which will be used for proper water treatment to produce good drinking water and meet up with the Nigerian standard for water quality.

“For some time, the Water Corporation could not give water to the generality of our people and they presented a brief to the State EXCO that they needed to procure the chemical. The quantity that the Council agreed to procure is 1,194 tonnes of Aluminum Sulphate at the rate of 335,000 per tonne, which will give us N399,990,000.

“This will be distributed to all the branches of the Water Corporation in the state so that they will continue to give potable water to the people.

“This has confirmed that the Governor ’Seyi Makinde led-administration is very passionate about the welfare of the people of the state.”

Similarly, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Barr. Ashamu, said the Council approved the implementation for the mini-grid scheme for rural communities that have economic activities but are not connected to the national grid.

He added that the implementation will be carried out by four contractors, at a total sum of about N575 million.

He explained that the first rollout of the scheme comprised four local governments and communities namely: Ajia Community in Ona-Ara Local Government; Otefo community in Atiba Local Government; Shamu Community in Iwajowa Local Government and Orinsunmibare in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area.

He added that each of the mini-grid will be centred around a health care or school and that they will serve other public facilities and also serve residences in the communities.

Ashamu said: “At the meeting, we approved the implementation of a mini-grid scheme for rural communities that have economic activities but are not connected to the national grid.

“The first rollout of the scheme comprises four local government and communities namely: Ajia Community in Ona-Ara Local government; Otefo community in Atiba Local Government; Shamu Community in Iwajowa Local Government and Orinsunmibare in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area.

“Each of the mini-grid will be centered around a health care or school. They will serve other public facilities and also serve residences in the communities.

“The implementation will be carried out by four contractors that will take each community for the total sum of about N575 million.

“It is an independent source. We recently announced that we are embarking on a transformer connection campaign for densely populated areas. But the places where the national grid has not yet been extended to, this administration has a vision that no community should be left behind. So, that is what birthed this mini-grid scheme.”

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