Light-Up Kwara: Company says project 90% completed, no dispute with Kwara

Dr. Sunny Akpoyibo, the Chairman, Riccofortezza-Asteven Energy Limited, on Friday said the Light Up Kwara project was over 90 per cent completed.

Akpoyibo told newsmen in Ilorin that the company had no dispute with the Kwara State Government as the project was almost executed as residents could testify.

He said the company would have completed the project this June, but for the repeated vandalism of its cables by some unpatriotic elements.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the chairman was reacting to the Kwara State House of Assembly recent advice to the state government to hand over the company that handled the Infrastructure Fund Kwara to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation over the project and prosecution if found wanting.

Akpoyibo said: LUK is a three phase project.

“Phase one, which comprises installation of 522 single-arm all-in-three LED solar streetlights, was fully completed since 2017 on streets within Ilorin.

“Phase two, installed along Asa Dam Road, comprises 226 double-arm all-in-three LED solar streetlights, 17 single-arm all-in-three solar streetlights, was also fully completed towards the tail-end of 2017/2018.

“Phase three comprises installation of 3 Solar Farm Tunnels (SFTs) to power retrofitted moribund road lighting poles along Fate road/Umaru-Audi road/Ahmadu Bello Way-to-Challenge junction and Post Office (SFT 1), University road (SFT 2) and New Yidi road/Unity road/Taiwo road (SFT 3).

“SFT 1 and 2 have been completed and fully operational since 2018.

“SFT 3 on New Yidi Road has also been installed and all Highway lights to be connected on New Yidi road, Taiwo Road and Unity Road have been competently retrofitted with new LED light and painted.

“What is outstanding in phase three is laying of underground PV cables and beautification of the SFT.

“And due to repeated and sustained vandalisation of already laid PV cables at Fate, Umaru Audi and Ahmadu Bello way, delays ensued.

“Cables which would have been used to complete the project have always been diverted to replace the stolen ones.”

Akpoyibo said the company had been unable to take delivery of materials ordered to illuminate Yidi Road because of restrictions by the Federal Government due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, in order to demonstrate commitment to the project, the company is still on site despite outstanding payment of more than N900 million by the state government.

On his part, Bolade Soremekun, the Managing Director, RUBITEC Nigeria Limited, another company involved in the project, said there was no dispute with the Ministry of Energy and the Kwara State Government over the project.

Soremekun said: “Our project continues and is ongoing.

“New casting is being done as we speak as well as rehabilitation of some bulbs that needed to be changed.”

Soremekun said his company was committed to completing all the three phases of the project.

NAN also recalls that the Assembly’s advice to the state government was part of the resolutions of the House at its plenary on Thursday on the report of an Ad-hoc Committee on the investigation into the Light-Up Kwara project executed by the last administration in the state.

Reading the resolutions of the House, the Speaker, Yakubu Salihu, urged the state government to review the terms and conditions of the contract for the project and direct the contractors to complete all outstanding work.

It further urged the government to transfer all the activities of Light-Up Kwara project to the supervision and monitoring of the State Ministry of Energy in the interest of accountability and transparency.