Lagos government plans new electricity policy for universal access

• Recovers N50 million from landlords, developers for tenants
• Durosimi-Etti, Pedro to head screening, appeal committees for council polls

The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), is set to have a state electricity policy that will serve as a blueprint for the attainment of a universal access to electricity in the state.

The state Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olalere Odusote, disclosed this, yesterday, during the 2021 ministerial press briefing in commemoration of the second year anniversary of the current administration in the state at Alausa, Ikeja.

According to him, the electricity policy, when it becomes functional and fully implemented, will accelerate the “Light-up Lagos” power programme, which the state government had embarked upon.

Odusote added that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had approved the procurement and installation of 20,000 units of prepaid energy meters for communities in Lagos State to improve electricity supply in the affected communities.

The commissioner also emphasised that the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led administration had concluded arrangement with a leading smart metering solution company (Elsewedy Electric) on meter supply to target low-income communities and identify transmission infrastructure challenges across the state.

IN another development, the state government, yesterday, said it had recovered N50 million for affected citizens after engaging in diverse mediation processes between landlords, estate agents and tenants.

Special Adviser to Lagos State governor on Housing, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, who disclosed this at the briefing, said the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) had successively mediated on about 55 out of 150 petitions/complaint between property developers, landlords and tenants.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said in tackling the critical challenge of housing deficit, the state government had been earnestly addressing the goal of driving mass housing development in the state.

MEANWHILE, the Caretaker Committee of Lagos State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has named a professor of medicine, Abayomi Durosimi-Etti, as chairman of the screening committee for the local council election while former deputy governor of the state, Mr. Femi Pedro, is to head the appeal committee.

Chairman of the caretaker committee, Chief Tunde Balogun, who disclosed this, yesterday, said that 250 chairmanship aspirants had collected nomination forms to contest for the 57 vacant positions in the coming July 24 council election while 800 aspirants would vie for the various councillorship posts.