Solar street lights and other street light solutions using advanced solar technology

Refuse to Work - Lafia Solar Street Lights

Lafia — The solar street lights in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, have failed to work after all repair works on them.

The lights were installed in 2007 along the Lafia-Akwanga Road in Lafia metropolis as part of the Urban Renewal Programme of Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma. The lights have undergone not less than four replacements since then, but the few that work still cannot shine more than candle light, residents have complained. Daily Trust recalls Governor Gabriel Suswam in the neighboruing Benue State had said in 2007 that he was not rushing into the provision of street lights in order to avoid been given the type of lights in Lafia for Makurdi, his state capital. The Makurdi lights have proven to be long-lasting.

The last time the lights were worked on was in February, but they newly fixed bulbs have long died. The gateway into Lafia from Akwanga, through the metropolis remains in dark as only a few poles have bulbs that still work.

Road users spoken to say it is unfortunate that the only aspect of the Urban Renewal Programme that has not been abandoned has refused to work after the job was completed. "How sad it is that the only aspect of the Urban Renewal Programme that has been executed cannot work," said a road user who gave his name only as Usman.

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He called on the government to wake up to its responsibility by returning the contractor of that project to provide workable street lights, "not these ones that the contractors have provided because they have proven to be fake."

State commissioner for information, Mamman Alakayi was contacted by our correspondent for comments, but he said he was too busy at the moment to make any meaningful comment.

Daily Trust recalls, however that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Timothy Anjide has told newsmen recently that the observation that Lafia street lights have refused to work was not correction, since he insisted the lights are working.

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