From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has revealed a grand plan by his administration to tackle epileptic power supply by generating and distributing its own electricity in the state.
Mbah who said that the current power challenge in the state was adversely affecting businesses and the state’s economy said that he would soon set up the State Electricity Regulatory Commission as part of measures to actualize the goal.
The governor made this known during a town hall meeting with stakeholders at the Old Government Lodge yesterday.
“Electricity is a major infrastructural requirement for industrial development. We are going to set up Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission as we tackle all legal and regulatory issues in actualizing the objective.
“Working with the private sector we shall generate and distribute electricity in Enugu by the end of 2026. We will build new transmission lines and handle distribution of power.
“People can come here to buy and distribute power. Our desire is to ensure we have steady power supply to businesses and households in Enugu,” he said.
Speaking on his plans for the education sector, Mbah said that the 260 smart schools currently under construction in the 260 wards in the state were aimed at repositioning the educational sector, adding that the project would be completed in 2025.
Mbah further said that the smart school project will go beyond primary school education and over a 12 year compulsory and free education to every child born in the state.
“They will be exposed to a modern learning environment and this will see a transition from chalkboard to smart boards and our pupils will no longer struggle with notebooks as they ’ll be given notepads for their lesson notes. He added, “our children are at the epicenter of our plans for the state.”
Mbah also revealed that his administration is building 260 Type II Health centres across the wards and 30 of such health centres have already been awarded while 100 will soon be awarded.
He said that the health centres would help to reduce the high maternal mortality rate, which he noted was unacceptable.
Mbah said his administration had increased the number of nurses admitted into state-owned institutions, adding that the Nursing schools were getting the needed face-lift.