Excitement erupted over the weekend in Taraba State as several households in Mayo-Selbe community in Gashaka Gumti National Park of Gashaka Local Government Council gained access to off-grid solar electrification.
The feat, which was said to have been made possible through a collaborative project by the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation and the Australian High Commission in Nigeria, The Guardian learnt, will be extended to all the communities playing host to the park.
The commissioning electrification project, which was fully funded under the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program, took place at the palace of the monarch of Mayo-Selbe, Yerima Thomas Maiyanga, with a massive presence observed among top government officials, community leaders, and development partners.
Speaking, the Assistant Controller General, O.C. Oladipo, who stood in for the Conservator General of the National Park Service, Dr. Ibrahim Goni, described the initiative as a significant milestone in ANI’s ongoing efforts to empower communities around the park.
In a message delivered by ANI’s Country Manager, Nacha Geoffrey, the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms. Leilani Bin-Juda, hailed the project as a meaningful step towards community development and sustainability.
“It is truly inspiring to see the fruits of collaboration between an innovative Australian company, Okra Solar, and our esteemed partner, Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation.
This initiative, bringing clean, green solar energy to 63 households in Mayo Selbe for the first time, represents a significant milestone in delivering tangible benefits to the local communities surrounding Gashaka Gumti National Park,” Bin-Juda said.
Also speaking, retired Federal High Court Judge and member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Justice Ibrahim Buba, who applauded the collaboration as a product of vision and commitment, said, “The commissioning of this solar electrification project in Mayo Selbe is a testament to what can be achieved when vision meets commitment. It exemplifies a truly transformative partnership between ANI Foundation, the Australian High Commission, and the Gashaka community.”
Speaking on behalf of Governor Agbu Kefas, the State Commissioner for Heritage and Ecotourism, Titus Joseph Nagombe, commended the initiative, describing it as in line with the development agenda of Kefas’s administration.
He reaffirmed the state government’s support for ANI Foundation and similar projects, noting the park’s significance as home to Nigeria’s and West Africa’s highest mountain peak.
In his part, the first-class monarch of Gashaka, Alhaji Zubairu Hammangabdo Sambo, lauded the intervention, describing it as a new height in community development in the area.
Beneficiaries, including Richard Okorie Emmanuel and Hafsatu Kasan, among others, who bared their minds to The Guardian, expressed joy, saying the project would go a long way in transforming local businesses and improving livelihoods across the community.
