Street Lights: Residents in Northern states give kudos to state governments
NAN-HE-4
Light
By Tajudeen Atitebi
Lagos, Oct. 12, 2017 (NAN) Residents in Northern Nigeria are applauding their state governments for making new efforts to provide street lights to check growing insecurity in the area.
A survey conducted in the area by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicated that efforts of the state governments in this direction are well received by residents.
Residents in Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Maiduguri, Yola, Gombe, Damaturu, Bauchi and Dutse agreed that the new efforts of their states had enhanced security situation at night.
In Kaduna some of the residents said ongoing installation of solar street lights covering a distance of 45 kilometres would light up the state and reduce activities of hoodlums on streets at night.
A resident, Dauda Adamu said: “people usually get scared of going out at night as the roads used to be dark and some bad boys used to take advantage of the darkness to snatch hand bags, phones, money and sometimes, even motorcycles .
“Now you can see for yourself, the streets have light and it is really a thing of joy“.
Shola Adebeti, an automobile engineer in Barnawa area of Kaduna, also commended the state government for the effort, describing the initiative as superb.
“I tell you, people use to steal in this mechanic site, especially at night even though we are opposite a Mobile Police barrack.
“Most times they do not know because of darkness, but now one cannot try that here because once its 7:00 pm, the solar street lights go on automatically taking away the cover for all these petty thieves around.
In Narayi High Cost area, Bayan Dutse, Katuru and Raba Roads in Kaduna, the street lights have boosted business activities at nights as residents stay longer outside.
Idris Mustafa, the Manager (Operation) in Kaduna Public Works Agency (KAPWA), said the company was aware of some problems and effecting repairs on some street lights.
In Kano State, the government said the provision of street lights had enhanced security in Kano metropolis and other major towns in the state.
Mr Khalid Mohammed, the Public Relations Officer in the State Ministry of Works, Housing, Transport and Regional Planning, told NAN that the street lights were being powered by generators for efficiency.
“Street lights contribute to security of lives and property because when these lights are on, hoodlums will not have opportunity to move freely unlike when such lights were not functioning well,” he said.
According to him, the provision of street lights, especially in the heart of the city, has checked local miscreants, known as Yandaba, who used to terrorise residents at night.
“The generators are normally operated from 6:30 pm to 5:30 am daily. The decision to use generators is to ensure efficiency in the supply of power to the streets lights,’’ he said
Mohammed said that the challenges of maintaining the street lights included problems of missing solar panels in respect of solar-powered light, exposed wires, burnt bulbs and hanging light covers.
In Kebbi, the state government said it had spent N176 million on the installation of street lights on major streets in the state.
Malam Muhammed Shekare, the General Manager of the state Urban Development Authority (KUDA), said that the street lights covered 16 kilometres in the major streets of Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
He listed the affected roads to include Muhammed Buhari way, Birnin Kebbi-Argungu Road, Ahmadu Bello Way, Murtala Muhammed |Road, Muhammed Bandi Road, Emir Haruna Rasheed Road, Liman Zangina Road, Ibrahim Badamasi Road and Jega Road.
“We intended to make use of generators to get the street lights on with or without power supply from the national grid, but we are still considering the cost of doing that.”
In the North eastern part of the country, street light are in Maiduguri, Yola, Gombe, Damaturu, Bauchi and Dutse.
Some residents in Bauchi said that the street lights assisted them to monitor affairs within their vicinity at night.
They, however, expressed concern over incessant cases of vandalism of the facilities and called for more vigilance.
Mr Isa Bukar, a Maiduguri resident, said that the street lights had given the city a face lift, especially at night.
“The street lights ease movement of people and make us to feel more secured,” he said.
Mrs Aisha Aliyu said that the provision of streets had enhanced security in the metropolis.
“The street lights deny criminals hiding in places that enable them commit heinous crimes.
“People now move around at night without fear of being attacked,” she said.
Alhaji Adamu Lawan, the Borno State Commissioner of Works, Housing and Transports, said the state government had executed new street light projects and rehabilitated others in Maiduguri and other major towns in the past two years.
According to him, the state government has been providing power generating sets and diesel to ensure uninterrupted power supply to street lights in communities.
In Dutse, residents stressed the importance of street lights in their areas.
Alhaji Habibu Adamu, a resident in Dutse, told NAN that street lights provided security to residents and had made it difficult for thieves and other hoodlums to operate freely at night.
Malam Ibrahim Salisu, the Chairman of Jigawa Vigilance Group, said that street lights helped in providing security and detecting criminals at night.
Salisu thanked the state government for providing the street lights because they made their work easier at night and urged the government to continue maintaining them.
In Yobe, the provision of solar-powered street lights in Damaturu has contributed to improvement of security in the state capital.
Mustapha Bukar, a staff of the State Ministry of Works and Energy, said the ministry was battling with the challenge of theft of batteries mounted to power street lights.
“Government had to provide new batteries on some of the street lights stolen by thieves,” he said.
Ahmad Sajoh, the Adamawa State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said the state government had installed street lights on roads in major towns of Yola and Mubi, while the next installation would be in Numan and Ganye town.
“The installation of street lights on major roads within Yola metropolis has reduced crime rate on the streets by 60 per cent.
“I want to urge the public to support government’s effort by protecting the facilities,” he appealed.
Othman Abubakar, the spokesman for Adamawa Police Command, said the street lights were helping the police a lot.
“They help quite a lot in reducing crimes; you know criminals always take advantage of darkness to commit crimes.
“I want to commend Adamawa Government for this project and to urge citizens to protect the facilities,” Abubakar said.
DSP Kamal Datti, the Police Public Relations Officer in Bauchi State, also said street lights had checked activities of criminals.
According to him, the lights provide clear visibility of entire locations, adding that they also reduce accidents by road users.
“Criminal activities are mostly carried out in the dark as such street lights are relevant for the safety of people, “he said.
NAN reports that the state has over 1,025 poles of street lights mounted in 21 major streets powered by 14 generators.
In Gombe, streets lights provided by the state government run for 12 hours daily and were being powered by generators, according to Alhaji Abubakar Bappa, the Permanent Secretary in Gombe State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.
“Where we construct new roads in the metropolis, we install street lights with standby generator to ensure stability for at least 12 hours daily,” he told NAN.
He said one of the major challenges they were facing was the activities of vandals.
“It has immensely contributed in reducing the rate of crime in the state, going by the information we received from law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Malam Ibrahim Abubakar, the Sector Commander Federal Road Safety Commission in Gombe, commended the state government for installing streets and traffic lights in the state.
He said the presence of functional street and traffic lights had reduced the rate of road accidents, especially at night.
Residents of Sokoto metropolis also commended the state government for installing street lights across major streets.
Major streets in Sokoto like the Eastern and Western Bye Pass, Abdullahi Fodio Road, Kano Road, Maiduguri Road, Emir Yahaya Way, Birnin Kebbi Road and Place Road have functional street lights.
Ali Akilu Road, Sama Road, Ahmadu Bello Way, Governor House Road and Runjin Sambo also have street lights.
A resident, Malam Inusa Abdullahi, appealed to the state government to extend the gesture to other towns and local government areas.
An official of state ministry of works told NAN that street lights were being powered by generating sets and solar system, while few were powered by public power supply. (NAN)
Reporters/ Tajudeen Atitebi