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Aiyedatiwa unveils solar initiative to power 1,000 businesses in Ondo
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Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has launched a solar-powered initiative aimed at providing reliable electricity to 1,000 businesses across the state, in a strategic move to address the persistent energy challenges and stimulate economic growth.
The programme, named “Lucky Light Initiative,” will deliver solar energy solutions to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across the state’s 18 local government areas.
Speaking at the unveiling on Sunday, Governor Aiyedatiwa said the initiative forms part of his administration’s strategy to boost enterprise development, enhance productivity, and reduce the high cost of electricity faced by businesses.
He noted that the project aligns with his administration’s “OUR EASE” economic agenda, which focuses on expanding access to affordable energy, supporting entrepreneurship, and promoting industrial growth.
Aiyedatiwa noted that under the initiative, selected beneficiaries will receive complete solar power systems, including panels, inverters, battery storage, charge controllers, and installation support.
According to the governor, the intervention is expected to significantly reduce reliance on petrol and diesel generators, which constitute a major operational cost for many businesses.
“Under the programme, selected businesses will receive solar power systems comprising solar panels, inverter systems, battery storage, charge controllers, and installation support, enabling them to reduce dependence on fuel-powered generators and operate more efficiently.
“The implementation framework: the initiative will be rolled out in phases across all 18 local government areas within 5 years, benefiting businesses operating in key sectors such as agro-processing, fashion, food production, retail, ICT, digital services, and the creative economy,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa explained that the programme will be implemented in phases over five years, covering all local government areas and targeting key sectors such as agro-processing, fashion, food production, retail, ICT, digital services, and the creative industry.
He added that participating businesses could see energy costs drop by up to 70 per cent, while productivity and operational hours may increase by between 30 and 60 per cent.
The governor also disclosed that the initiative is projected to generate over N2 billion in additional annual economic value through improved business performance and job creation.
“Economic projections indicate that by providing MSMEs and SMEs with reliable and uninterrupted access to electricity, the Lucky Light Initiative has the potential to generate over N2 billion in additional annual economic value across the State, creating a multiplier effect that supports business expansion, job creation, and broader economic prosperity.
“Beyond its economic impact, Lucky Light is expected to promote clean energy adoption, reduce carbon emissions, and decrease reliance on fossil fuel-powered generators, positioning Ondo State as a leader in renewable energy-driven enterprise development,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa also noted that beyond its economic benefits, the programme is expected to promote clean energy adoption, reduce carbon emissions, and lessen dependence on fossil fuels.
The governor, however, described the initiative as a flagship project designed to enhance investor confidence and improve the ease of doing business in the state.
“With Lucky Light Initiative, the Ondo state government is not merely providing solar power, it is empowering enterprises, strengthening livelihoods, and illuminating a brighter economic future for thousands of residents across the Sunshine State,” Aiyedatiwa said.
Meanwhile, as preparations begin for implementation, many business owners in the state have expressed optimistic that the initiative will provide the much-needed energy support required to unlock growth, create jobs, and build stronger local economies.
Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday said it was not currently involved in negotiations with the United States, despite a halt in recent fighting between the two sides.
“Mediators may convey messages from the American side to us regarding current developments in the region. But at present, we are not engaged in any negotiations with the United States,” ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a weekly press briefing.
“Claims that Iran has requested negotiations are fabrications that the other side circulates from time to time,” he added.
Hostilities resumed between Iran and the United States earlier this month after diplomatic efforts collapsed amid an impasse regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Fighting has nonetheless paused since early Saturday, following 13 days of exchanges of fire between the two sides.
Baqaei criticised the United States, saying its conduct in recent years has “resembled that of a mafia gang that adheres to no rules or laws”.
“So long as such behaviour by the United States continues, we cannot be hopeful about the emergence of a reasonable process,” he added.
Iran insists on retaining control over the management of the Strait of Hormuz, including the collection of service fees, while keeping Oman involved as a coastal state.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have turned back multiple vessels in recent days, including six earlier on Monday, that attempted to transit the strait outside the route designated by the Islamic republic.
On Monday, Baqaei reiterated that Washington had nothing to do with recent talks with Oman over the administration of the Strait of Hormuz.
“These talks have no connection with the United States. They are a bilateral matter between Iran and Oman, and they are continuing,” Baqaei said, adding that the waterway “remains closed”.
The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of
a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza after suspected Bandits invaded his residence in Bunza Local Government Area.
Confirming the abduction, the State Police spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said the judge was taken from his residence around midnight.
“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” Usman said.
He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, had immediately deployed tactical and intelligence teams to track the abductors and rescue the judge.
“Our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest hideouts, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” the police spokesperson said.
NATIONAL WAVES learnt that the gunmen stormed the judge’s home along Zogirma Road at about 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto State.
The attackers fired sporadically into the air before whisking the judge away. No member of his household was kidnapped or molested during the operation. He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen invaded his residence and abducted him,” a source squealed
A family member who craved for anonymity said “Immediately the incident happened, we alerted the relevant authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,”
News
Confusion in Anambra as students feared trapped in private hostel near Oko Polytechnic collapses
A three-storey private hostel warehousing students of Federal Polytechnic Oko has collapsed in Amokpala, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, leaving a yet-to-be-identified number of occupants trapped beneath the rubble.
The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, reportedly caved in late Sunday night.
The collapse of the hostel located near Tonimas Filling Station in the Oko Polytechnic community sparked panic among residents and students as cries for help were reportedly heard from beneath the debris.
Emergency responders launched rescue operations, with personnel from the Anambra State Police Command, the Anambra State Fire Service, the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other security and emergency agencies deployed to the scene.
Several injured victims have so far been rescued from the collapsed structure and taken to a hospital in Oko for medical treatment.
Search-and-rescue teams, however, continue efforts to reach other occupants believed to be trapped under the debris.
Authorities said the exact number of casualties and those trapped could not be immediately confirmed, as rescue operations were still ongoing at the time of filing this report.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said a police-led joint security team swiftly secured the area and coordinated emergency response efforts to prevent further loss of life.
Ikenga urged residents to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information, and stay away from the scene to allow rescue workers unhindered access to carry out their operations.
He added that the police command would provide further updates as more verified information becomes available.
We don’t have current negotiations with US — Iran
Police Finally Confirm Abduction Of Kebbi High Court Judge By Bandits
Confusion in Anambra as students feared trapped in private hostel near Oko Polytechnic collapses
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