Military launches initiative to bring electricity to remote areas, reconnects power supply to Akwa Ibom village

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The Nigerian Navy has commissioned a rural electrification project in Ikot-Edeghe community, Mpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, restoring electricity to the community after nearly 10 years of blackout.

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The electrification project, one of the Nigerian Navy’s Civil-Military Cooperation intervention programmes, was approved by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, and funded under the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme.

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The project was facilitated by the Director of Maritime Research, Abuja, Rear Admiral Etop Ebe.

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Speaking while inaugurating the project on Tuesday, the Chief of the Naval Staff, represented by the Chief of Naval Transformation and Innovation, Rear Admiral Chijioke Onyemaobi, said the intervention was initiated to demonstrate the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to strengthening civil-military relations and improving the welfare of host communities.

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He said the project aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to improve the quality of life of Nigerians through the provision of critical infrastructure and sustainable community development.

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“The Nigerian Navy recognises that the security and prosperity of our nation are strengthened when communities are empowered through meaningful development. This understanding has continued to guide the Nigerian Navy’s Civil-Military Cooperation efforts,” he said.

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He described the electrification project as timely and impactful, stressing that the Nigerian Navy remained committed not only to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain but also to contributing meaningfully to national development through community-based projects.

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The naval chief noted that the project would improve the quality of life of residents and urged them to take ownership of it by protecting it against vandalism and theft to ensure its sustainability.

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He also commended the facilitator for identifying the community’s critical development needs.

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“Through this initiative, he has demonstrated that leadership is most meaningful when it positively impacts the lives of others,” he added.

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In his remarks, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, represented by the Commissioner for Power, Iniobong Robson, lauded the Nigerian Navy for enhancing the quality of life in rural communities.

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He said the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Special Intervention Quick Impact Project aligns with the state’s ARISE Agenda, which focuses on rural development and the security of lives and property.

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“Let me appreciate the Chief of the Naval Staff for the Special Intervention Quick Impact Projects aimed at addressing the socio-economic development of our rural communities. This initiative aligns with the ARISE Agenda of our administration, which is aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence and enhancing the security of our rural populace,” the governor said.

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Earlier, the project facilitator, Rear Admiral Ebe, thanked the Chief of the Naval Staff for his visionary leadership and for giving him the opportunity to give back to society.

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He explained that the Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme was conceived to bridge the infrastructure gap in underserved rural communities despite their contributions to national development.

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Ebe said Ikot-Edeghe community had endured nearly a decade without electricity, adding that the prolonged blackout had increased insecurity and crippled economic and social activities.

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He expressed optimism that the project would transform the community by providing reliable electricity to homes and streets, extending business hours for traders and artisans, improving living standards, enhancing children’s education and boosting security.

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“Ikot-Edeghe community has, for almost 10 years, grappled with the absence of electricity. Nightfall meant darkness, insecurity and a halt to meaningful economic and social activities. Today, with the commissioning of this electrification project, the story will begin to change,” Ebe said.

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