No fewer than 54 private firms will be engaged by the Lagos State Government to manage streetlights in the state, says the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olawale Oluwo.

Oluwo, who spoke on Tuesday during a briefing on the activities of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in the state, added that the government had lit up about 600 kilometres of roads in 366 locations in Lagos.

The commissioner also warned against destruction of streetlight poles and cables by residents, saying whoever damaged such would bear the cost of repair.

Oluwo said the government had established Ibile Oil and Gas to manage oil-related issues following the discovery of crude oil in the state.

He said, “Lagos State will be a bigger business hub with the discovery, as more jobs will be created. Our Ibile Oil and Gas will operate in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. It will not only be involved in exploration, but will probably build its own filling stations. We must be able to give Lagos energy security such that if anything, we will be able to power Lagos.”

 The commissioner said  apart from aggressive installation of streetlights in the state, the ministry had embarked on rural electrification and installation of solar power systems for schools and public health centres.

Oluwo stated that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had given approval for the electrification of 37 rural communities around the Seme Border, adding that some streetlights hitherto managed by  Federal Government’s agencies and local government areas had been taken over by the state government.

Regarding sand mining activities in the state, Oluwo said reforms had been initiated in the    issuance of mining operational permit.