By Stanley Onyekwere
There is a sigh of relief for inhabitants of Galuwyi 1&2 and Ruga Fulani communities as Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, in partnership with with Rural Electrification Agency (REA) light up a medical clinic and 30 households with 30 solar panels.
Also, the Club carried out the renovation of the health centre, refurbishing of furniture and hospital beds as well as foundation laying for maternity wing of the clinic.
It was gathered that since the creation of Galuwyi community, located within the Bwari Area Council of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for over hundred years ago, the inhabitants have been in living in darkness, as there was no access to electricity supply, until a month ago when the 30 solar power panels were installed.
According to the District of Galuwyi, one of the beneficiary communities, Chief Ezekiel Sarki, in recent times, while a few people in the area have been depending on alternative power generators and other unclean sources, majority of them have been staying in darkness, since the creation of this community over hundred years ago.
Sarki said: “As a member of the community, if God opens way for any member of the community, then you will be able to buy a generator to get electricty to boost your household and economic activities. Otherwise, you will remain in darkness.
“But, the people are happy that through the solar energy that provided by Rotary and REA, they enjoy access to electricity for a month now, even before its official commissioning.
“We are using the solar energy to light up our homes, charge rechargable touch lights (lanterns), phones and even radio stereos”.
He disclosed that since Rotary adopted the village, it has been helping people through its 13 impactful projects in the area.
Conveying the gratitude of the people to Rotary and its partners, the community leader said” they are our local government, because no any government has come to do to us what they are doing for us, so we are saying thanks to them”.
On safeguarding the solar project, he said the community has a vigilante group working to help protect lives and property in the area, they l have been instructed to provide effective security cover for the facility.
In the same vein, Mai Angwan (Village Head), Ruga Fulani, Muhammed Ardo, said with the installation of the solar panels people are feeling more lively as other people of the FCT.
He said through the intervention, their youth will be economically empowered, to make better choices, thereby repositioning them to be agents for the expansion of such facility.
However, speaking during the commissioning of the solar power scheme as part of the Rotary 3-1 community projects in Galuwyi, at the weekend, the President of Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, Rotarian Yusuf Ali, explained that the project, which was concieved about ten months ago, when the Managing Director of REA, who is one of the key coordinators of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy attended his inauguration ans investiture as the president of the club.
Yusuf, said the club did needs assessment, and discovered that the village has not experienced any form of electricity supply, so the Club in collaboration with REA decided to intervene with the solar energy project, that 30 households are benefiting from.
He added that the electricity provided free of charge can carry 40 wats strength, so that if the users mainly poor forks in the village have maintenance culture, it is a lifelong project.
In addition, he noted that the project will also promote economic activities, communication and communal cohesion, thereby enhancing security and reducing poverty in the community.
According to him, the only healthcare centre in the area operate without electricity supply or even a generator, but now it is powered with the solar energy project to ensure that patients are not treated in darkness.
“ On our own as a Club, and Rotary being a charitable organisation, this community is actually our adopted village, and in the last 10-11 years, we have carried out many projects ranging from provision of borehole, primary school, clinic, and now we are providing electricity, and laying a foundation for the maternal wing of the clinic, which the next president that would take over from me will build.
He noted that it is work in progress, because when the club adopts a community, it carries out projects that would be very positively impactful.
Similarly, REA Managing Director, Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Modi, described the execution of the project as a fantastic achievement, which REA is happy to be part of it.
Modi noted that in partnership with Rotary Club, the Agency was able to find needful communities, where power is one of the major issues affecting their wellbeing.
“We work with federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning as this is part of the Vice President’s National Poverty Reduction and Strategy Growth programme, so REA is one of the implementing agencies. So, we are happy that we were able to find extremely remote three communities – Galuwyi 1&2 and Ruga Fulani that would benefit from the intervention.
“Although, we do work with a lot of data in its offices, however sometimes, working with people on ground especially those carrying out a lot of interventions on other aspects of development like healthcare services, water supply; and the agency is able and willing to complement such efforts with electricity supply.
“This is not the first time that we have worked together, and we will continue to work together every time we have such kind of interventions especially where we can find unelectrified Nigerians in FCT and other parts of the country”, REA boss stressed.
On his part, the host, District Governor D9125, RTN Goddy Nnadi
commended the decision to ensure the effective preservation and expansion of the its healthcare centre for continuous better service of the people in the community.
He said they are very impactful projects on humanity especially hygiene, the girl child child and women (maternal health) in the society
He adds: “I’m so pleased that Club has done so well in this area. And the collaboration with REA is a wise decision, which is what leadership is all about.
“When you have a good leadership, the thinking is always what to do to help our people”.
What measures has the community put in place to safeguard the solar project?