It was a moment of joy and enthusiasm to the people of Kalaba community of Bayelsa State they were provided with electricity courtesy of the Netherlands Embassy in Nigeria.
The electricity supply Towncrier gathered would be uninterrupted because it is connected with solar (sun) energy.
The solar mini-grid according to Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) was implemented with technical support from Community Research and Development Centre (CREDC)
The 8.5 kw power project was completed and commissioned recently by a representative of Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, Executive Director of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Mr Nosa Tokunbor.
More exciting is the fact that houses in the community, and the age-old dysfunctional borehole have been channeled to the solar mini-grid station to supply electricity and power pumping machine to supply water with the extension of solar light to the Community Health Centre.
Over 30 households and a population of about 3,000 people are benefitting from the Photovoltaic systems as well as the Community Health Centre, water supply and solar lights receiving power supply from the solar mini grid”, said Nosa, a lawyer with ERA/FoEN, who charged the beneficiaries to jealously protect and properly manage the solar-mini grid system so as to enjoy the maximum benefits especially by children who need the light source to read their books at night-time and also enhancing women’s cooking during night fall.
The ERA/FoEN Executive Director, in his message, commended the Netherlands Embassy and the Kalaba community stating that the project was in line with the Paris Agreement of 2015 to reduce carbon emissions released into the atmosphere and the urgency for energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources.
Dr Uyi Ojo said that the project will address reducing deforestation, fuel-wood, kerosene and petrol dependence and the related health hazards.
He therefore, called on all the levels of government in Nigeria and other donor agencies to focus more resources to direct clean energy delivery to promote energy access to all especially to vulnerable groups in remote communities such as Kalaba to generate green jobs and improved wellbeing.
The people of Kalaba led by their Paramount Ruler, Chief Kolibo Francis, expressed gratitude and happiness over the provision of the solar power by the Netherlands Embassy in Nigeria. They commended the Netherlands Embassy and ERA/FoEN for the good development gesture, noting that the power project has shone the light on their community and its environs to improve their living conditions.
The Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria accompanied by the second secretary earlier paid a courtesy visit to ERA/FoEN office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State as part of their tour of the Niger Delta region to see firsthand the despoliation of the environment by the multinational oil companies operating in the region and their impacts on the rural dwellers in the area.