By joshua 
Compiled by: Engr. Ondeku
Kogi State offers one of the most promising economic corridors in sub-Saharan Africa. It is strategically located in central Nigeria, and provides a confluence of both human resources and economic opportunities spanning sectors such as agriculture, minerals, steel, oil and gas, marine transport and tourism. However, like other parts of Africa and Nigeria, access to electricity, which is an underlying factor, critical to the economic development of any society, is elusive in most parts of Kogi State, especially the Kogi East and West Senatorial districts.
This is why, the efforts by governor Yahaya Bello’s administration to provide succour to rural communities in Kogi East, home of the great and indefatigable Igala people, through the ‘light-up Kogi East Project’, is laudable and must see the light of the day! The programme, which was flagged off in June 2020, promises to upgrade critical electricity distribution infrastructure, to enable and enhance power evacuation from Itobe substation in Ajaokuta to most parts of Kogi East. This will increase the load capacity of evacuated power from 14.5 MW to circa 45 MW, thereby providing sustainable electricity to 24 communities spread across the Nine Local Government Areas (9 LGAs) of Kogi East; hence, the clamour for Dr. Sanusi Ohiare to succeed Yahaya Bello; if not for anything, to explore his wit of wisdom and experience in this direction.
Kogi East is home to many economically viable mineral deposits, waiting for commercial exploration. There is no doubt that electrifying the region, among other factors, will attract mining investments to the district. The benefits of such potential investment on the host communities in job creation and revenue contributions to the financial purse of Kogi State through internally generated revenue (IGR) can only be imagined. It is even more strategic to look inwards for revenue generation in this era of dwindling allocation from the federation account too. We all know, that graduates and young people imbued with vocational and artisanal skills hardly stay in rural communities where there is no electricity and other basic social amenities of life. They tend to move to cities where some of the aforementioned facilities are; in search of greener pastures which often times leads to urban congestion with its own attendant problems.
Electrifying such rural communities will no doubt keep the youths back home which in the long run will help in the development of the areas and also cut down the problems associated with urban congestion in the cities. Only a strategic and far-sighted leader like Governor Yahaya Bello can think in this direction: solving an inherent problem on one hand while also trying to prepare a better tomorrow for Kogites.
In addition, the Kogites in diaspora who are business-inclined will readily want to invest in their communities when there is regular and adequate electricity, among other vital considerations. In that wise, capital flight will be halted, there will be job opportunities for the teeming youths who are qualified in addition to expanding the profile and economic potential of the state. This is one of the latent benefits of the Governor Bello’s led administration that Dr. Sanusi Ohiare intends to build upon if elected.
I am particularly excited about this great initiative of Governor Bello because it complements numerous rural electrification efforts of President Buhari’s Government through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), across Nigeria generally, and in Kogi state specifically which was headed by our very own result oriented Governorship Aspirant, Dr. Sanusi Ohiare.
It’s worthy of note, that the ‘provision of electricity’ is still under the Concurrent Legislative List of Nigeria’s constitution, which allows both Federal and State governments to regulate and invest in electricity; therefore, the ripe work experience and connection of Dr. Sanusi Ohiare in this direction is critical in creating the requisite enabling environment and funds necessary to attract private sector investments into the state. Governor Yahaya Bello quickly understands and recognizes this role as a leader, especially in realizing the socio-economic potentials of his state and improving livelihoods of his people, which is why he initiated this massive multi-billion-naira rural electrification of Kogi East Senatorial District.
The governor also understands his role as a facilitator of opportunities and investments in the power sector from both Federal Government, Private Sector and Development Finance Institutions. He has demonstrated this over time, and I was especially impressed by his doggedness, commitment and foresight for making sure, that programmes from REA are attracted into Kogi State with full State Government support from start to completion.
Two key examples of such giant projects stand-out in Kogi State: Firstly, is the Upake 100kWp Solar Hybrid Minigrid commissioned in 2019 in Ajaokuta, where the governor mobilized his state ministry of works to provide access roads leading to this extremely remote Upake village (the ancestral home of the Ebiras) 30 km away from the highway, and got a retinue of State government officials led by the Secretary to the State Government to represent the State during the commissioning.
Second worthy case, is his intervention and directive to provide all land title documents and expedition of payments of compensation at the Federal University of Lokoja permanent site, which the REA is providing 24 hours Solar Hybrid Minigrid for under the Nigerian Electrification Programme, funded by the African Development Bank. It is my hope that all things being equal, the encumbrances on this land be sorted, implementation commenced, and commissioned in his time; Dr. Sanusi Ohiare, the incoming Governor of Kogi State.
In the spirit of the aforementioned, my appeal to the governor and the good people of Kogi State is to give us Dr. Sanusi Ohiare to continue to work with serious-minded people of the State and Federal Government, to improve and facilitate investments and rural electrification projects more into the State, to justify our partnership and mutual objectives of universal access to electricity by 2030, in line with the sustainable energy for all goal 7-affordable and clean energy.
With Dr. Sanusi Ohiare as the Governor of Kogi State, the Yahaya Bello’s planned Transmission Substations in Kogi East and Kogi West will be built, as well as the Substation in Kabba Junction of Kogi Central, strengthened. This will free up load from Substations in Kogi Central and increase evacuation capacities of Kogi East and Kogi West, thereby incentivizing requisite private investments in power generation in the two senatorial zones, and complementing the efforts of the Governor in lighting up Kogi, and opening up the State for industrial revolution and economic development.
Hopefully, with all the efforts of both State and Federal Governments, especially with this light up initiative and the Siemens deal with Germany, complementing programmes of the REA, universal access to electricity will be one of the enduring legacies of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led administrations. No tribe of human beings will ever forget a leader or political party that gave them light when they needed it most!
I, therefore, appeal to His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello and the Delegates to solve the problem of electricity in Kogi State through Dr. Sanusi Ohiare by being bold enough to lift any of the ephemeral gags from this primary elections. It’s obvious, that some of the aspirants had planned to monetize the primary elections, but I pray; that money will not win for the good people of Kogi State grossly deficient candidate: candidate without track records! Amen.
God bless Kogi State.
God bless kogites.
God bless GYB.