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The light-up Oyo project undertaken by Governor Seyi Makinde administration in its early days in September 2019, was comatose barely after marking two years in office. The glitch started in some areas of Oyo State immediately after celebrating the 100 days in office and when a period of two years knocked, everything smacked down. No lights on the streets of Oyo State, again.
The goal which the Oyo State Government had embarked on the project which is to grow the Oyo State economy and tackle insecurity, were dashed. During this time, we wouldn’t know if it was as Governor Makinde calls it that “crime thrives in darkness” but it indeed thrives. Kidnapping cases trailed and the bereaved counts their dead. While one may not completely say it is the absent of the streetlights that caused the atrocities, it is safe to say that the absence of the streetlights then, strengthened the inner demons of the assailants.
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But the streetlights are back. This was after the Oyo State Government explained that the former loss of its beam was as a result of some technical and sundry difficulties all of which were categorically blamed on the contractor.
Getting the project which covers 240 km of roads across the state, the State Government said it is launching the full operation of the tribrid power system. This was the original idea at the inception of the project. But the pandemic of 2020 limited the complete execution to the use of diesel and inverters supply.
It said the tribrid — Oyo State 11MW Independent Power Project will be used but this is still ongoing. Tribrid means comprising the use of gas generators, diesel and inverters — the trio — to sustain the powering of the streetlights. This is done to ensure Oyo State streets at night never rent darkness.
But the question is how feasible is this tribrid in the next four years? Based on Nigeria’s ruling, policing and political dichotomies, who will fund the projects after the elapses of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration?
Read Also:Â Oyo State Politics: A Circus of Self-Serving Clowns in Peculiar Mess
Enoch Oyedibu
Neck-deep Investigative Journalist, Fact-checker and writer-I provide support for marginalised communities through strategic investigative reporting, holding power to account and airing the underrepresented communities' concerns. I firmly believe in giving voices to the underreported communities in Nigeria and Africa. This has, however, made me contribute to multiple publications and projects that exposed corruption, injustice, and human rights violations. I am passionate about journalism and its role in creating positive change in the world. I lead a group of professional investigators at the PIJAlance Magazine Research and Investigations Desk (RID). If you have a story, check 'contact us' to hit me.
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