Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has expressed a strong commitment to partner with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to fast-track renewable energy projects across the state, admitting that it was unacceptable for Abia to lag behind given its vast potential.
Receiving 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 Government House, Umuahia, on Thursday, Governor Otti pledged to resolve outstanding operational delays and activate existing agreements with the federal agency.
Addressing the delegation, Otti acknowledged that while Abia State is not yet moving as expected on renewable energy deployment, he pledged that the state under his leadership would turn the tide swiftly.
“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. You can be sure that you will hear from us within the next 14 days, and the lowest-hanging fruit is this initiative covering ten states,” he said.
The Governor also highlighted the state’s strides in rolling out pioneer electric buses, noting that they have already yielded positive results for green energy.
He assured the delegation that a state focal person would be appointed immediately to streamline coordination.
In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Dr. Abba Aliyu, revealed that the agency had mapped the entire country to identify communities requiring rural electrification. He disclosed that 1,000 mini-grids were currently being deployed across various states.
While noting that an initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Abia State last year had faced delays, Dr. Aliyu reiterated the agency’s full readiness to support Abia 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, along with key members of the Abia State Executive Council.