Donates solar street lights, others

By Adesina Wahab

The Managing Director of Welbeck Electricity Distribution Company Limited, Mr Afolabi Aiyela, has charged well meaning individuals and corporate bodies to support initiatives that will enhance security in the country, saying without a conducive atmosphere, businesses cannot thrive and the economic well being of the people will be negatively impacted.

He stated this in Lagos at the weekend during the inauguration of some items donated by his company to the police and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.

The event also involved the inauguration of 20 units of embedded, automated solar street lights built by his company to light up the bridge in front of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

“We decided to do this solar street lights project to help security agents do their job of maintaining security in this area and to also allow people to pass under this bridge at any time of the day. Our attention was drawn by the member representing this constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Desmond Elliot, who because of his good rapport with the police, was told of the need for such a thing here.

“We also donated reflective vests to the police and LASTMA officers as well as a booth for the security people working around here. We have to ensure that the situation in our society allows for businesses to thrive and we thank the Lagos State government for doing that and we are supporting them too. This is not the first time we are engaging in projects like this one.

“We have donated solar panels, batteries and even light up schools, royal palaces and other public places in Lagos because we believe in giving back to the society. Our focus as a company is that in the next few years, at least 20 percent of our energy sources would be renewable energy. That is the way to go,” he said.

The Commissioner for Energy, Lagos State, Hon. Abiodun Ogunleye, commended Welbeck for the gesture and disclosed the plan by the state government to install over 40,000 solar street lights across the state starting from this year.

“His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has given the go ahead to light up our streets. Before the festive season begins, you will see how far we would have gone with the project. What Welbeck has done today is an example of how public and private sectors should collaborate. We appreciate this and we ask for more,” he stated.

Hon. Elliot also lauded the company and asked that youths in the area be considered for employment opportunities.

That, he noted, would take many youths off the street.