FG sets aside N16b for rural electrification, swears in board

Federal Government says about N16 billion has being set aside to enable the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) execute power projects in communities across the country.

Minister of State for Power, Zainab Kuchi who made the disclosure in Abuja shortly after inaugurating the REA supervisory board headed by former deputy senate leader, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, warned the board against undue interference with the agency’s operations.

REA was initially scrapped in 2009 following an alleged N5.2 billion financial scam during the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo.

Kuchi said government has a target to achieve about 75 per cent rural electrification access by 2020 and as such would not condone undue meddlesomeness of the new board in the affairs of REA.

According to her, it is the responsibility of the management of the REA to transparently handle all its procurement processes without undue interference from the board in line with extant laws guiding its operations, stressing that the rural economy of Nigeria remains important and in dire need of electrification.