By Ahmed Ajikobi
Residents of Kwara State yesterday lamented the neglect of the Light Up Kwara (LUK) solar street light which have been vandalised since last year.
The vandals in most of the affected areas carted away the batteries and the solar panels of the project which was awarded at N6bn by the last administration to be executed in phases.
The areas worst hit include Mini Campus/Ilorin General Hospital, Asa Dam, Ita-Elepa along Offa Garage area in Ilorin among others.
Some have also been damaged by vehicles, it was observed, leaving them the vandals because of lack of maintenance.
When our reporter visited the areas, some of the residents who spoke with National Pilot lamented bitterly over the neglect by the state government.
Rahman Iyanda of Ita- Elepa told our reporter that the solar light was done for security reasons and also to stop the criminals who take advantage of the darkness in some area to perpetuate evil.
“We have experienced this vandalisation for some times now. They have vandalised the panels and batteries. In fact the solar light helps our business at night. More people come to patronise us because of that. But now we can’t stay any longer because when it 7pm everywhere turns dark.
“Government should come to our rescue they should not neglect things like this because it serves the residents very well. Those solar lights that they didn’t vandalised, some are not functioning and need to be repaired.”
Also speaking, Olaiya Samuel told our reporter that, government need to set up committee on security that will be manning the property of government or to employee the vigilante if the police patrol cannot help.
Zaina Wahab, a stationery vendor at the Mini Campus lamented that the solar lights in the area have been destroyed since last year November but no move has been made to fix them despite their importance and usefulness.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye said he will informed relevant authority on the matter.
