A leading Pro-Democracy group, Kwara Must Change has set an ambitious electricity access target for the Kwara State government, urging the state to aim to become the first state in Nigeria with 100% electricity access in the country.
Kwara Must Change also said that, considering the ongoing efforts to make Kwara State capital a smart city, targeting 100% electricity access for the state in the next 3 years will be an indication of our readiness for development and industrialization.
In a statement by the Convener of Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group explained that, there’s no state in Nigeria with 100% electricity access, except Lagos which is less than 1% away from the target.
According to Hamzat, Lagos state currently has the highest electricity access in the country with 99.3%, adding that Kwara State is amongst the top 3, with 90.6% access.
“Kwara State is also in the forefront, due to consist efforts of government over the years, but it can do more to expand electricity access and complete the task once and for all and move to other value chain of electricity, including energy equity and security”
Hamzat said that, the Kwara State Government should make delibrate attempt to provide 100% electricity access in the state within the next 3 years, to make Kwara State the first or one of the first to have 100% electricity access in the country.
Explaining the possibility of the task, Hamzat said, in November 1920, Vladimir Lenin, leader of the then Soviet Union (Russia) issued a slogan identifying electricity as the only remaining step in Russia’s development, making access to electricity a major target for the country and within the 5 years, the entire Russia federation had electricity access, giving them opportunity to concentrate on other aspect of power generation as part of its broad 10 years plan.
“Similarly, in 2015, China successfully connected all of its 1.4billion population to electricity access” he said.
Hamzat added that, in both Russia and China’s effort to electricity access, 3 things are key, inbeding electricity access as part of development plan, articulating the mission appropriately to all stakeholders, at all levels and making it the cornerstone of assessing progress and ensuring the right technology mix, especially at the rural areas.
“Achieving 100% electricity access will open a new chapter in our quest for energy security and this will greatly help in attracting investment”
Kwara Must Change therefore concludes that, while it is aware that there’s ongoing efforts by the state government to fully take advantage of the new electricity deregulation in the country, it urges the government to include 100% electricity access within the next 3 years as part of its broad target in the Kwara State energy sector.
