By 2026, Enugu will generate and distribute electricity. - Gov

By the end of 2026, according to Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, his administration will produce and distribute energy throughout the state.

Mbah presented the strategies for addressing the state’s epileptic power supply problems to companies and citizens on Saturday during a town hall gathering attended by a number of stakeholders.

In order to actualize the goal, he said, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission will be established soon. In addition, he said the state will investigate the potential presented by the power sector changes to generate and distribute power to support enterprises.

He said, “Electricity is a major infrastructural requirement for industrial development. We are going to set up the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission as we tackle all legal and regulatory issues in actualising the objective.

“Working with the private sector, we shall generate and distribute electricity in Enugu by the end of 2026. We will build transmitter lines and handle the distribution of power.

“People can come here to buy and distribute power. Our desire is to ensure we have a steady power supply to businesses and households in Enugu.”

Mbah discussed the ongoing legacy project, which aims to realign the education sector, in her speech.

He said that by 2025, the 260 smart schools under construction in the state’s 260 political wards will be operational.

Mbah claims that work has already started in 160 wards and will shortly begin in the remaining 100.

He claimed that the smart school will provide free, obligatory, 12-year education to all children born in the state, going beyond basic education.

He went on to say that the early life learning component of the smart school plan will see the students transition from nursery to primary school.

“They will be exposed to the 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,” adding that “our children are at the epicentre of our plans for the state.”

The governor added that 260 type II health centers are being built throughout the wards by his government, of which 30 have already been awarded and 100 more will do so shortly.

He further stated that the current maternal mortality rate in the state is “unacceptable and we’re doing everything to bring it down and to help tackle this.”

According to him, his administration has doubled the number of nurses admitted into facilities that are owned by the state and is updating the nursing schools.

The nation’s electrical supply is getting worse and there has been a widespread blackout recently.