Residents of Basan-Mbube in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State have expressed joy after seeing street lights for the first time.
The street lights, CONVERSEER reports, were installed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and facilitated by Chief Orok Duke, Cross River State representative of the Commission.
The NDDC Solar Streetlight project, which aims to enhance safety and security in the community, bringing much-needed illumination to a previously poorly lit area, has received applause from the residents.
Commenting on the intervention, one of the residents of Basan-Mbube, Anthony Okwe, said this is the first time the community has seen a streetlight.
Okwe, a native of the community, who shared his joy over the installation also voiced concerns about the limited number of lights.
“I am very happy about the development. It’s the first time we have seen streetlights in this part of the world. It’s a great step forward for us. However, we need more lights to cover other areas in the community. Only a few streets have benefited, and there are still many dark corners,” Okwe said.
In response, Cross River State NDDC Boss Chief Duke acknowledged the feedback from the community and assured that more street lights would be provided in subsequent phases of the project.
Duke reiterated his commitment to securing more NDDC interventions to address the infrastructural needs of Basan-Mbube and other areas in Cross River. He said, “This is just the beginning. We are in talks to bring further developmental initiatives to light up and modernise more rural communities.”
Beyond the streetlight project, Chief Duke also shared updates on the much-anticipated NDDC internship programme, assuring Cross Riverians of a balanced and transparent selection process. He highlighted that the upcoming list would reflect a fair representation of qualified candidates from the state, especially targeting youths in need of career opportunities and empowerment.
“We are committed to ensuring that Cross Riverians are not left behind in the internship programme. It will be an inclusive process,” Duke noted.