THE Minister of State for Power, Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba has urged the newly inaugurated Governing Board of Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to ensure more rural communities benefitted from the scheme. He gave the charge while inaugurating the board on Thursday in Abuja.
The board has Mr Abdulazeez Musa Yar’Adua as Chairman, and the Managing Director of REA, Mr Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, as a member. Other members of the board representing the six – geopolitical zones include, Mr Michael Oluwagbemi (representing the South West), and Mr Chidi Nwogu (representing the South East). Mrs Catherine Ajibike (represents the South South), while Dr Abdullahi Garba (represents the North West).
Also on the board on Ex-Officio capacity are representatives from the Ministries of Power, Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE). Mr Sanusi Ohiare, was re-appointed as the Executive Director Rural Electrification Fund (REF) for another five-year term.
Jedy-Agba said the REA was one of the most visible agencies in the ministry and urged the new board to work hard to achieve President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of lighting up all communities by 3030.
“We expect that at the end of the day, we should have meaningful contributions from you as the president is mindful of your performance before his approval.
“The role of the REA is not new to us as it is performing very well and I can proudly and gladly say the agency has touched at least one community in all the geopolitical zones of the country.
“There is a project to show in the six geopolitical zones, some have two, some have one and some have three,” he said.
According to the minister, REA also has a programme that touches on education known as the electrifying education project and there are universities earmarked for this. We have done nine universities and have more to go.
“These universities have been provided solar power to help our students study and keep off criminals, so we expect the board to continue in that direction as well as other programmes of the agency.
“Your duty is to contribute toward making it happen and we are confident that the board will contribute to that effect,” he said as he also explained that the appointment of the board members was on a part-time basis to oversee the agency. “We know the board is there, the management will do the job and the board oversees what they do.”
