By
Ya’u Waziri
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has commissioned a 17-megawatt solar electricity project in Talasse, Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State, aimed at improving electricity supply and stimulating rural economic development.
The project is expected to benefit communities across eight local government areas of Kaltungo, Balanga, Akko, Dukku, Funakaye, Nafada, Yamaltu-Deba and Shongom.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Minister described the project as more than the provision of electricity, saying it demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving livelihoods, expanding economic opportunities and delivering the dividends of democracy.
He said the initiative aligns with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and would boost business activities and transform lives in the benefiting communities.
In his remarks, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, described the project as a historic milestone for Talasse and its surrounding communities, which had endured more than seventeen years without electricity supply.
The Governor said the project, which was flagged off in November 2025, is expected to benefit about six thousand households and businesses.
He added that the facility would support small businesses, agro-processing, education and healthcare, while creating employment opportunities for youths and rural entrepreneurs.
Governor Yahaya urged the people of the state to continue supporting the APC-led administrations at all levels to sustain development initiatives.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, said the project targets about eighty communities across the eight local government areas.
He added that similar projects had been executed in other states to provide reliable electricity to underserved communities.
