Don't Miss


Home   >   Business   >   Industries   >   Energy   >   Fashola sets October take-off target for 10.4mw Alausa power project

Fashola sets October take-off target for 10.4mw Alausa power project

By on February 13, 2013

Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday said the 10.4 Mega Watts Alausa Independent Power Project (IPP) that will supply power to the entire Alausa Secretariat will be ready for commissioning by October.

The governor disclosed this at the opening of the Lagos State Science and Technology (LASTECH) Week, themed, ‘Promoting the Development of Science and Technology through Entrepreneurship Education,’ held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Secretariat.

Fashola, who was represented by Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Obafemi Hamzat, explained: “The different between developed countries and developing is science and technology and the rule of law”, adding, “Power supply and Broadband falls under science and technology.”

“And in order to close this gap and achieve the development that we craved for, the state government embarked on the construction of Independent Power Project (IPP), to power the public infrastructures in the state.

“And this was because the cost of providing power supply for public infrastructures through generating set is high.”

“Among the IPP already constructed by the state is the Akute Power Project to provide power supply for the Akute Water Works and others. But it hasn’t stopped there.”

The governor added, “You can notice that in front of the state House of Assembly, we have dug that area to lay some cables.

“What we are trying to do is that by October this year, God willing, the whole of Alausa will be off Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

“We are building our own source of power supply. What that gives us is the ability to determine our lives and serve the residents of the state better.

“We know that power supply is the bases for development and that was why we started with the Power Projects. By the time we complete the power projects, it will aid the state broadband,” he added.

Fashola also said the state government is almost completing the design of a broadband infrastructure for Lagos Sate, saying “the state already working with two companies on the project.”

The essence of the broadband, he said, “Will reduce the cost of broadband and it allows everyone to have easy internet. And every school in Lagos, hospitals, every infrastructure in the state will have effective access to internet”.

“The broadband is already on but what is available in the country right now was provided by overseas company. We need to get it to peoples home and offices. “The penetration in the country is still below 20 percent. With that policy that would be introduced by the state government and with the infrastructures the state government is currently providing, there will be 100 per cent penetration and this will aid the knowledge based economy we are aiming at.”

“When the state government completes its broadband, companies wouldn’t need to construct again but they will buy from the state.

“So, investors coming into the country wouldn’t worry about building a broadband because this is an infrastructure that needed to be provided by the state, while the investors only come into the country and make use of the infrastructure. It creates employment in the state.”

 

[Daily Independent]