Gombe State Government has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to execute solar electrification projects in rural areas spread across the 11 Local Governments of the state.

Speaking in Gombe shortly after signing of the MOU, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo said the effort was born out of government’s desire to fast-track wide spread socio-economic development in the state, and improve the people’s living standard.

He said the first phase of the project, which would be carried out in two communities, was approved at the cost of over N44 million as total fund, which would be paid in counterpart funding arrangement with the BOI.

Earlier, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, Managing Director, BOI Of Industry, said BOI is collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to support underserved power communities in Nigeria.

“As the World transits from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the challenges of access to clean electricity has remained a focus of global policy debates and national policy planning,” he said.