The Kwara Government has so far committed the sum of N900 million into the energy sector, the state Commissioner for Energy, Alhaji Tajudeen Sulu-Oloje, has said.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Ilorin that an additional sum of N400 million was on the verge of being spent.

The commissioner said the sum had been earmarked for the construction of injection sub-station in Ilesa Baruba in Baruteen Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

''It is an electrification project and we are now in the rainy season. But once we enter the dry season, work will commence fully on providing electricity in these communities.

''These electrification projects of the 200 communities will cut across the 16 LGAs of the state and before the end of this administration, all the projects would have been completed,'' he said.

Sulu-Oloje said further that the injection sub-station at Kwara Polytechnic Area had been upgraded from 7.5 MVA, to 15 MVA.

He said this was due to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, the Polytechnic, the Kwara State Television Authority and other complex buildings situated in the area.

The Commissioner disclosed that some of his ministry officials recently paid a visit to the Jebba Hydro-Power Generating Station.

''The visit with some of the officials of the ministry was to access the condition of facilities on ground and the level of work done on the station,'' he said.

Sulu-Oloje said the state government, through the ministry, had distributed 117 transformers within the Ilorin metropolis and in various communities in the state.

He said there were 877 communities without electricity in the state but that Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed had directed the ministry to pick 200 out of the affected communities for the provision of electricity.

''Work will soon commence accordingly,'' the commissioner assured.

Speaking on the traffic lights, Sulu-Oloje said the contract for them was awarded to different contractors, but only the one at Taiwo-Unity junction was functioning.

''Those of Maraba and Sawmill are not working, and the contractors have been notified to upgrade the lights,'' he said.

The commissioner assured that additional traffic lights would be provided at Tanke tipper garage area, Agbo-oba Surulere, Isale Oja, and Sobi junction.

He said this would help to ease the movement of traffic along the axis, while conventional street lights would be erected in Share, Oloje to Ita-Merin junction, Kaima, Patigi, Omu-Aran and Erin-Ile.

“We are currently working on conventional street lights from Mobil junction down to Michael Imoudu Institute of Labour along Offa Garage road.

''It is a capital project and it has reached 95 per cent completion stage and it will soon be commissioned".

''We also have another one which is an on-going project, from Tanke Junction down to the University of Ilorin gate, while work is also on-going on the conventional street lights from Geri-Alimi roundabout to Isale-Oja.

''The contractor has done 80 per cent and very soon work will be finished on that project,'' Sulu-Oloje said.

(NAN)