Oyo approves N974m for water purification, mini grids

The Oyo government has approved the sum of N399.9 million for the procurement of 1,194 tonnes of aluminum sulphate for water purification in the state.

The government has also approved the sum of N575 million for the provision of mini grids to supply electricity to some rural communities.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Taiwo Adisa, chief press secretary to the governor, said the decision was announced by Wasiu Olatunbosun, the state commissioner for information, culture and tourism.

He noted that the approval was given at the sixth executive council meeting.

The decision is said to be in line with the rural and urban development agenda of the present administration.

“We are here to brief you on the outcome of the 6th State Executive Council meeting of 2021. We deliberated and approved the procurement of the aluminum sulphate water treatment chemical, which will be used for proper water treatment to produce good drinking water and meet up with the Nigerian standard for water quality,” Olatunbosun was quoted to have said.

“For some time, the Water Corporation could not give water to the generality of our people and they presented a brief to the state exco that they needed to procure the chemical. The quantity that the council agreed to procure is 1,194 tonnes of aluminum sulphate at the rate of 335,000 per tonne, which will give us N399,990,000.

“This will be distributed to all the branches of the Water Corporation in the state so that they will continue to give potable water to the people. This has confirmed that the Governor ‘Seyi Makinde led-administration is very passionate about the welfare of the people of the state.”

While speaking on the mini grid systems, Temilolu Ashamu, the state commissioner for energy and mineral resources, said the council approved the implementation for the scheme for rural communities involved in economic activities, but are not connected to the national grid.

According to the commissioner, the first rollout of the scheme will take place in four LGAs — Ajia community in Ona-Ara LGA; Otefo community in Atiba LGA; Shamu community in Iwajowa LGA, and Orinsunmibare in Ogbomoso south LGA.

He added that each of the mini grids will be centred around a healthcare centre or school, and it will serve other public facilities and residences in the communities.

“The implementation will be carried out by four contractors that will take each community for the total sum of about N575 million,” Ashamu said.

“It is an independent source. We recently announced that we are embarking on a transformer connection campaign for densely populated areas. But the places where the national grid has not yet been extended to, this administration has a vision that no community should be left behind.”