Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnering with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to accelerate renewable energy projects across the state and improve access to sustainable electricity.
Governor Otti gave the assurance while 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 the Government House, Umuahia.
The governor acknowledged that Abia had not made the desired progress in renewable energy deployment but assured the delegation that his administration would take immediate steps to reverse the trend.
He pledged to resolve outstanding operational issues, activate existing agreements with the federal agency and appoint a state focal person to enhance coordination and implementation of the projects.
Expressing optimism about the opportunities presented by the partnership, Otti said the state would act swiftly, promising to engage further with the agency and begin implementing key aspects of the initiative within the next two weeks.
He also highlighted the state’s progress in introducing electric buses, describing the initiative as a significant step towards promoting clean and sustainable energy solutions.
Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Dr. Abba Aliyu, said the agency had mapped communities across the country requiring rural electrification and was currently deploying 1,000 mini-grids nationwide.
Aliyu noted that although a Memorandum of Understanding signed with Abia State last year experienced implementation delays, the agency remains ready to support the state once it demonstrates renewed commitment to the projects.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Strategy Officer, Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, as well as members of the Abia State Executive Council.
