On Thursday, Executive Director Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface announced that a new project will provide stable electricity to communities in the Niger Delta, creating job opportunities for local youths. This initiative aims to shift the focus of youths from oil bunkering to legitimate businesses powered by clean, renewable energy from solar sources.
Fyneface highlighted the project’s advantages, noting that solar power is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, which harm the environment. With the new solar off-grid electricity system, communities will experience uninterrupted, affordable power, eliminating the reliance on petrol, diesel, and kerosene from artisanal refineries.
The project will support local economic activities, enabling businesses like welding, hairdressing, and shops to operate without fossil fuels. It aims to create employment and alternative livelihoods for youths involved in pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, contributing to the fight against climate change.
The initiative, starting in the Umuolu community in Delta State, will provide 81.9 kilowatts of electricity, sufficient to power the entire community and its businesses. Currently, the project is beginning with 29.5 kilowatts, with plans to increase capacity based on utilization. This project promises significant economic benefits and a reduction in crude oil theft, fostering a peaceful and productive environment for the communities.
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