Press Releases

LASG Set To Explore Small Wind Energy For Electricity In Rural Areas

May 7, 2008 - Lagos State Government on Wednesday revealed that it was exploring the possibility of using wind energy and small hydro power systems to combat the recurrent problem of erratic power supply in its rural areas.

The Commissioner for Rural Development, Prince Lanre Balogun, who disclosed this while addressing the press at Alausa added that the government was also going to explore solar energy and on –site-power generating system.

He explained that this has become imperative because of the high cost of connecting several rural communities in the state to the national grid.

Balogun also informed that the state government has also provided 44 oil immense transformers of 500KVA each to various communities within the state up till the end 2007.

The ministry also provided watercraft and motorcycles to 10 riverine communities on the other side of River Oshun by Igbonla area to ease their transportation problem, the Commissioner added.

Prince Balogun also informed that the state government has initiated a rural transport scheme called the Lagos Rural Transportation Initiative (LARUTI) which would ensure the manufacture of tricycle that safely convey people and goods from the rural areas to urban centres..

The commissioner also disclosed that the ministry had employed additional 1, 500 Neighbourhood Watchers and equipped them with necessary equipment to enhance its grassroots security service.

He listed the equipment provided to the neighbourhood watchers to include: 73 patrol vehicles for state officers and coordinators and 201 motorcycles to its field officers to gather information from the grassroots.

He also stated that 50 artisans were trained by experts from Thailand on the production of exportable arts, crafts and house hold furniture that would entail the use of fibre from water hyacinth, banana peels, sisal, coconut leaves, bamboo, cane, willow and raffia, he said.