By Obike Ukoh.
Photo credit: You tube.
Unarguably, solar powered street lights are now commonly used across the country. It is further popularized by members of the two chambers of the National Assembly, as many of them use solar-powered street lights as their constituency projects.
Also, many hotels, banks, government ministries and agencies, among others, use solar-powered lights to illuminate their premises. Also, major roads in many rural communities, are illuminated by solar-powered street lights.
In Ebonyi State, many areas are illuminated with solar-powered street lights. However, in Abakaliki, the state capital, generating sets are used to provide street lights in many strategic roads and streets by the Ebonyi State Government.
Experts and commentators opined that with the inherent advantages associated with solar energy and the roof-top price of diesel, the use of generating sets to power street lights in Ebonyi State should be discarded.
Experts say:“Solar offers great potential to save money on your monthly utility bills, and with utility bills trending upward, solar is likely to remain a good money-saving option for years to come.“
Dr Paul Okorie, an engineer, who spoke on the money saving option of solar energy, stressed that powering street lights with generating set is not cost effective. He queried: “ Can anybody use money from his pocket and power street lights, while the option of cost effective solar-powered street lights is there?“
Okorie, a former Commissioner for Works in Ebonyi said that the authorities of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufe Alike Ikwo(AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State provides electricity in the school, via solar energy.
“Let me put it softly, people are feeding fat on the generator powered street lights, the traffic lights that dots many parts of Abakaliki metropolis are powered by solar energy, why not use same for street lights,’’ Okorie further queried.
He said that with readily available sunshine, 24 hours power supply is assured with solar energy, adding that maintenance of solar-powered street lights is also very easy.
Okorie stressed that powering streets in Ebonyi via generating sets is not sustainable, emphasizing that the Ebonyi State Government should embrace solar holistically.
An Ebonyi State stakeholder, Mr Chukwujekwu Bekee Orji, who spoke on the need for Ebonyi State Government to embrace solar, re-echoed that solar is sustainable and cost effective.
“ We use solar-powered street lights on the Ugwu Achara area of Abakaliki where I live. The about 10 poles were installed by a philanthropist about two years ago. It has not given us any problem, no fault since two years.’’
Experts say the consumption of diesel via generating set is very enormous. They put the consumption of a 100 KVA generating set at 20-25 litres per hour. They say that as a result of high cost of diesel, now costing about N1,400 per litre, diesel should not be used for anything not very essential and profitable.
Even when the street light project was launched in 2015 by the then Gov. David Umahi administration, it was at an enormous cost.
At the launching, Umahi said that the state government would spend over
N1billion in the provision of street lights within the state capital, Abakaliki.
Umahi said he was excited about what he saw on Abakaliki-Enugu highway (between the Peoples Democratic Party state secretariat and Onuebonyi) in the state capital.
Umahi explained that the procurement of five generating sets for the first phase of the project “was to ensure that every night, we have light along this section of the town.”
He, however, explained that street light projects “whose contractors were not willing to cooperate with the government would be terminated”.
Umahi stated that supervisors would be appointed to handle the fueling and maintenance of the lighting facilities, and armed security men deployed to protect them against vandalism.
The then Commissioner for Power, Chief Emmanuel Uguru, said: “the street lighting of the state capital would enhance the social status, economic status and the security of the city”. He assured that work on other street light projects in all the dualised roads within the state capital would soon be commissioned.
Even while Gov. David Umahi who inaugurated the street lights projects was still on the saddle, the operation of the project was hit by corrupt practices.
Mr Uchenna Orji, then Commissioner for Information and Orientation, who briefed journalists at the end of the state executive council meeting, announced sanctioning of two offices over alleged malpractices.
He announced that the Ebonyi State Government has suspended Mr Godwin Nwankwo, then Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy, over alleged theft of diesel meant for the street lights.
Orji said Emmanuel Nwangbo, special assistant to the governor on public utilities, was also suspended over the same issue.
“The council approved the suspension of both officials who were directly responsible for the street lights supervision under the ministry,” he said.
“The council also received report of the persistent diesel theft and noted the disturbing volumes of the product lost to persons involved in the business of street lights.
“Members, therefore, resolved that those involved in the street lights supervision be investigated by the Department of State Security (DSS) to unmask the perpetrators.
“The State Head of Service was directed to thoroughly investigate the ministry’s staff involved in the theft and take appropriate actions as required by civil service rules.”
A commentator that assessed the impact and the importance of former Gov. David Umahi’s flyover and street lights projects, wrote inter alia :
“I came into Abakaliki last night after so many years that I haven’t visited the state and the first thing that welcomed me was the multi-colour paints on the city walls and roadsides, the fancy street lights and numerous flyovers, both completed and uncompleted inside the city centre.
“Paradoxically, I can count how many private vehicles drove past us within the city; but everywhere is filled with tricycles (Keke Napep) and I was forced to ask myself the reasons for building multiple flyovers in a city with zero traffic like Abakaliki.
“Common sense should have told those in charge that flyovers are needed and of high importance in only highly congested cities so as to decongest traffic gridlock.
“There has never been traffic gridlock on any road in Abakaliki, so I will ask the state government what is and will be the use of the flyovers they built.
“I guess for aesthetics and beauty purposes. A project as capital intensive as such should not be engaged just for aesthetics and decorations.
“All the flyovers built are just a waste of money; a gigantic sum of money that should rather be invested in other ventures that would have created long-term sustainable jobs for the Ebonyi residents.
“No serious businessman or investor will relocate to invest in a city just because of the city’s aesthetics; paints or street lights.’’
There may have been good intention when the street lights project was conceptualized and executed. For now, the current realities demand the discontinuation of generator powered street lights and embracing solar-powered street lights, that is cost effective, sustainable, reliable and easy to maintain.(ENDS)
