Govt signs technical agreement for Light-up-Kwara project
Kwara State Government has signed a technical agreement with two firms, Riccofortezza Steven Energy Limited and Rubited Power Limited for the implementation of operation Light-Up-Kwara (LUK), a solar-powered streetlight project.
During the signing on Wednesday at the Government House, Ilorin, the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed said the streetlight project would enhance security, create jobs, boost businesses, facilitate technology/ skill transfer and ensure extended commerce hours for traders.
The governor disclosed that the project was an investment inflow under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, and the state government would not commit any funds to the project at this point but would pay back the contract sum over a 10-year period.
In his remark, the Chairman of Riccofortezza Steven Energy Limited, Mr. Sunny Akpoyibo said the streetlights would be powered through solar power tunnels. “This is the first time the technology will be deployed anywhere in Nigeria,” he asserted, adding that the project would cover 74.58 kms of roads, cutting across 33 routes within Ilorin metropolis.
The State Ministry of Energy indicated that the 33 routes to be covered in all would include Tipper Garage-University road, Tanke-Umaru Audi Junction - Tipper Garage Roundabout, Umaru Audi - Fate roundabout, Ahmadu Bello avenue-Sulu Gambari road, and Taiwo road (Emir’s road junctionGeneral roundabout). Others are Wahab Folawiyo (Unity road), Saraki road (Agric roundabout-Fate roundabout) and New Yidi road (Unity JunctionFossil Oil). The others would include Pakata road, Michael ImoduOffa Garage roundabout, Ipaye road, Illofa road, Oja Oba-Maraba road, Henry George-Sokoto road junction, Balogun FulaniGambari junction, Geri Alimi-Adeta road, Unity roundabout-FCMB Maraba road, among others.