Edo considers alternative sources of power

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki

The Edo State Government has said it is proposing additional and alternative sources of electricity under the new Edo State Regional Development Plans and the Benin City Master plans to cater to the power needs of the people of the state.

The state governor, Godwin Obaseki, disclosed this during the unveiling of the Edo State Regional Development Plans and the Benin City Master Plans in the state capital on Tuesday.

Obaseki said the alternative sources of power would be solar energy and hydropower plants.

He said, “The government is proposing additional and alternative sources of electricity under the new Edo State Regional Development Plans and the Benin City Master plans to cater to the power needs of the people of the state.

“A new airport is being proposed for Auchi and rail lines while new cities such as Coral City are to be developed in Benin City, Auchi and Ekpoma.

“The masterplans are living documents and subject to review every five years and they would be infused into the primary and secondary schools curriculums.”

He added that his administration would be leaving behind the documents for successive administrations to work on, noting that his government was not privileged to inherit any such documents from his succession.

Obaseki said the masterplans bequeathed to the state by the past administrations elapsed in 2012, adding that the new masterplans have a 30-year lifespan.

He said the master plans commenced operations in 2023 and would end in 2053.

The state Commissioner for Physical Planning, Housing Urban and Regional Development, Isoken Omo, said a total of 22,000 properties were visited during the planning exercise while 27 consultations were held with stakeholders

Omo, who noted that the reviewing of the existing masterplans was participatory, stated that it would encourage local governments to focus on areas of their comparative advantage for development.

According to her, the Edo State Regional Development and Benin City masterplans cover all the 18 Local Government Areas of the State.