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In this interview by WALE AKINSELURE, the Oyo State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Seun Ashamu, addresses issues on the Light Up Oyo project and the Independent Power Project (IPP) of the Seyi Makinde-led government.

The Light Up Oyo project kicked off several months ago. So far, how many kilometers of roads have been covered and what is the target?

The project was conceived to extend to about 225 kilometers of road networks in the state. However, we had reasons to extend that up to about 300 kilometers because we saw that there were a number of important roads that were not covered, particularly in all the new roads that are being constructed by this administration. I make bold to say that when we conceived the project, we started with an implementation of just about 18 kilometers and it was a test case to determine what the impact of public lighting would be on the lives and livelihoods of residents in the state. When we gathered the data on those 18 kilometers and analysed it, we noticed that those who commuted in those areas had a perception and feeling of security. We also noticed that traders and shop owners in those areas actually stayed longer at their shops or trading points. People remained out till about 11.00 p.m. In economic terms, that means more business is being transacted and what we need to do as a state is move towards night-time economy. When we looked at that data and the analysis we could drawn from it, we decided to extend the project to have a wider coverage. The project conceptually was to be powered using the tribrid system, that is, three sources of energy, namely, the grid, inverter backup and gas generators. That means if the grid is available, the grid will power the lights; if the grid is not available, the inverter and battery storage will kick in; once the battery storage and inverter run down, if the grid has not come back, the gas generator will kick in and recharge the batteries and the cycle will start all over again. That was the tribrid system we conceived. Unfortunately, in the early stages of implementation, we had taken delivery of the light fittings, cables, manufactured the concrete bases and the poles but the components to actually energise the infrastructure was caught up in the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result of the pandemic, there was a lockdown. No shipping lines were operating and factories were closed. We had a decision to take at that time, which was to either stall the project until the pandemic had gone – and no one knew how long it would last – or to derive value from the equipment we already had such that the residents of the state would actually be able to benefit the things I highlighted under the test case. And we took the decision that we wanted to power the lights. We engaged the developer and the developer suggested that since diesel generators were readily available in Nigeria, we could go down that route, which we agreed to as a government on the condition that the state, having not been the cause of the delay, would not pay an extra kobo. We agreed and we were able to energise about 280 kilometers of public lighting across the state. This is with the potential to go to 300 kilometers. We have now reached the stage where the world has opened up, post-COVID-19, and you can imagine there has been a backlog because factories had not worked for about two years and people were not taking delivery of items that they had ordered. We have reached the stage where we are transitioning from the use of diesel to what was originally scoped and conceived, that is, the tribrid system.

At the moment, we have taken delivery of about 100 transformers and about 30 of the substations have already been migrated to gas. So, that transition is ongoing and it is actually visible to those who pay attention. What we also looked at in order to ensure that the project was sustainable was we agreed with the developer to have an Independent Power Project (IPP) here in the state, which, as it has been designed, will actually energise about 50 percent of the light-up project. From the beginning, we have been thinking about sustainability, protecting the environment, the welfare of residents of the state and taking decisions that we believe are in the best interest of the residents of the state. It is important to note also that on the light up and IPP, we have been able to attract long term investment in Oyo State. We are simply repaying over a long period. The light-up project is for seven years and the IPP is 10 years. We will have long derived the value and economic impacts of the project in the state. Like the light up, the IPP is also gas-fired and we have signed an agreement with Shell to extend gas pipeline infrastructure to Oyo State. That will service both the light-up project and the IPP, in addition to the businesses and industries that are in the state. We are actually looking at the medium to long term and that is the mindset we have taken towards these three major projects.

Before the Light-Up Oyo project, there was solar-powered street lighting. Why didn’t the Makinde administration build on what was on the ground like using the existing poles instead of uprooting them and taking some of them outside the state capital?

We are principally concerned about the medium to long-term success of the state. So, when you look at an investment, you amortise your cost over that sustained period. The light up Oyo, as we have conceived, will be cheaper for the state. Yes, the state had invested in the standalone, all-in-one solar lights in the past and we took a decision to relocate those all-in-one solar lights to areas that hadn’t less commercial activity, less road traffic usage, less security consideration. In the industry, we have luminosity standard and those standards mean how bright are the lights, how long will they last and how can you control them. So, on our major carriage ways, you find that we removed the all-in-one solar lights and we put the light up infrastructure there. The difference is light and day. I have documentary evidence, photos of how bright those roads were using the solar lights that were there and how bright they are with the light up infrastructure that we have available today. That is not to say that you cannot get all-in-one solar lights which are closer in terms of standards of luminosity to what we have deployed today but that was not what was there.

So, in the best interest of road users and residents of the state, the decision was taken to relocate them to other places. When you relocate, you need to relocate the entire infrastructure; not all fittings fit on all poles. The dimensions of the poles for the Light up Oyo are different from that of the solar. There are a number of technical things such that it is better to uproot the entire thing and move it. In actual fact, the cost is probably the same for just removing the fitting compared to removing the entire unit. That is why we didn’t reuse those poles for the light up infrastructure but they are being reused nevertheless as it is the entire pole and solar fitting that we moved and they  have been redeployed to certain areas. Taking poles from Ibadan to other parts of the state depends on where those poles are fabricated. What we tried to do is, as much of the work was done locally here within the state. So, the poles are fabricated within the state; the concrete bases were fabricated within the state.

One criticism of the light up Oyo project is the use of diesel to power them. It seems the talk about the original tribrid concept now is due to sustained criticism of the use of diesel. And, when will the transition to tribrid be concluded?

When we started this project, we said very clearly and unequivocally, privately and publicly, that it is conceived to be powered using a tribrid system. It was documented and reported on many news platforms and it is verifiable. There has not been a change of mind; we are implementing what we set out to do at the very beginning. That does not mean we have not listened to what residents of the state have said. We need to be a responsive government. We thought about whether to delay or get the lights on and we took the decision to get the lights on the condition that it would not cost the state anymore and that burden is being carried by the developer. It is actually in the developer’s best interest to carry out that transition as quickly as possible. We equally want the project completed quickly so that we can divert our attention to other things as a ministry and as a government. We are well on the way to achieving that.

How long does it take to fix a pole of the light up project that develops fault or damaged as a result of being hit by a vehicle or affected by flood? Also, what obstacles do you face in erecting these poles?

There is nothing you embark on in this life and not encounter challenges. This government is not here to complain or give excuses; we are here to get the job done.

This administration has put down a lot of road infrastructure, so the major carriage ways are in better condition than they were before and we deployed public lighting. I think that resulted in a lot more confidence in the people behind the wheels and we witnessed a lot of the public lighting infrastructure being hit by vehicles particularly towards the end of the week and late at night. So, we appeal to residents of the state to understand that this infrastructure belongs to us all and we all need to take ownership of it. We put out jingles on radio, adverts on television to try to sensitise people; we also set up a hotline for the light up Oyo project where people could call in if they notice issues with the project. We also do routine corrective maintenance. So, if a collision happens with a pole today, the first response is to go and evacuate the equipment that is there. We get the concrete base, pick up the pole, terminate the cables and take the fittings. You terminate the cables so the rest of the network can actually function. As you can imagine, they are all cabled together so if one goes down, it trips everything. We then have routine corrective maintenance where routinely, the team goes out and replaces the damaged equipment. Of course, there is a cost to that, so you need to ensure that you are expending time and money efficiently. That means you cannot go and do it one at a time because you also have to balance the books.

Where do things stand regarding the Independent Power Project (IPP) that was flagged off in December 2021?

A lot of groundwork that needs to be done is regulatory and we have completed 95 percent of them. The engines have been manufactured and are due in the country very shortly. The final design for the distribution infrastructure has been completed. It is a 10-year agreement that the state has signed and it is well underway. We expect that in a very short period of time, we will be able to commission that project.

What are the financial obligations on the part of the state government for the Light Up Oyo and IPP?

The companies will fund the projects initially and government will pay over the agreed period, that is, seven years for the light up and 10 years for the IPP. The light up project is about N28 billion while the IPP is about N8 billion.

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