In its concerted efforts to take the Council area to the next level, the Executive Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon (Barr) James A. James has commissioned the Kalaibiama Solar Mini-Grid which was implemented by GVE Projects Ltd in partnership with the Council.
The event which held at the Community Primary School, Kalaibiama, Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area attracted dignitaries from far and wide to witness the pilot project that was initiated by the immediate past administration of the Council.
In his opening speech, the Council boss, Hon (Barr) James A. James, thanked the Kalaibiama community for giving them the opportunity to impact their lives.
He acknowledged that though his predecessor initiated the project, that because it has direct impact on the people and government being continum, he inherited and completed the people-oriented project.
He disclosed that after experimenting with the one of Kalaibiama community, his administration intend to extend the implementation of the project to the other communities in Nkoro and Opobo town.
The Council boss appealed to the community youths to see the projects as their own and therefore secure, protect and maintain the facilities in their own interest.
The Ananyanabo of Opobo , His Majesty King-Elect, Alabo Charles Mac Pepple- Jaja commended the company for establishing the project in their area, promising that his people will cooperate with them to secure the facilities.
Ably represented by Alabo (Engr) Godwin Brown Agent Dappa, the Ananyanabo while acknowledging the enormous benefits of the project both economically and socially, recommended that the company should consider ploughing back their profits into expanding their business to break further grounds.
He also appealed to them to consider utilizing the services of the Youth Corpers and other volunteers to maximize the opportunities at their disposal.
The Ananyanabo equally advised the company to improve on their publicity mechanism about the project and its activities as well as improving on their orientation system on the products.
“The company should equally pay attention on the training and retraining of their staff for the purposes of its growth “; he advised.
Speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director/CEO of GVE PROJECTS LTD, Mr Ifeanyi Orajaka on behalf of the Board chairman of the company, Warisenibo Kalada Apiafi, MD/CEO Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria, Dr Abba Aliyu and his team thanked the Kalaibiama community and indeed Opobo/Nkoro LGA as well as the Council administrators, past and present for their cooperation and support in the realization of the project.
He particularly luad Hon (Barr) James, the Council boss for what he described as his commitment at Community development.
Mr. Orajaka further disclosed that his company has been in this business of energizing about 20 communities across various states of Nigeria in the past 17 years and counting, adding that the Kalaibiama project makes it the 20th community that has benefited from them.
“Along the line, we have been creating jobs for the youths and transferring skills. It’s important to State that the company is ready and willing to do more business with the Opobo/Nkoro Council area.
We have come to complement what NEPA is doing as an alternative source of energy and not to replace them”; he declared. “In GVE PROJECT LTD, he pointed out, we focus on deliverying clean, reliable, sustainable and affordable energy solution”; he said.
The MD/CEO Orajaka, assured that their project delivery is in conformity with international best practices and standard.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the Kalaibiama youths to take the project as their own and protect it jealously.
Earlier, the security agents had a hectic day dispersing some group of youths who came drumming and chanting war songs, waving flags identified as that of the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) with the intent of disrupting the event.
According to what the confused crowd understood later, the youths were angry that the Council chairman has not done anything tangible to benefit the growing jobless youths and he came to commission the project initiated by his predecessor, reaping where he did not sow.
However, it took the intervention of the elders to douse the tension after wasting over four hours of the people’s time.
The chairman, Kalaibiama Amakubiri (Ibanimina V) HRH Alabo Biekpo Monday Erasmus Jack Tolofari in his closing remarks confessed that they were highly embarrassed by the action of the youths.
While apologizing on their behalf, he promised to consult widely afterwards for the Chiefs council to meet with a view to finding lasting solution to the embarrassment which he noted, was unusual in the area.
