Street lighting project lauded

The county government has invested Sh49 million on a rural street lighting project as a way to fight insecurity and extend business hours.

Speaking to The Standard, Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said the solar powered street lights have been installed in Habasweyn, Tarbaj, Eldas, Giriftu and Bute towns which are sub-counties headquarters.

"These solar powered lights will provide lighting to help business owners extend their working hours well into the night as well help reduce cases of insecurity in these towns," he said.

The governor said the move, to light up towns outside Wajir town, aims at boosting the region's economy by making it cheaper to conduct business in these regions.

"Many of these towns have busy centres but traders do not realise much in terms of profits. This is because they are either forced to close early or use diesel powered generators which are costly to use on a daily basis," he said.

Mr Abdullahi said his government will put up an additional ten flood lights, to the existing five, in order to fully light up Wajir town not forgetting the new 25 kilometre, county's first ever, tarmac road.

"We have set aside 150 solar powered street lights to go along the new tarmac road currently being constructed and also in areas close to crucial Government installations," he said.

These are the first street lights to be put up in many parts of the county and residents have received these developments with exuberance.

Sahara Hussein, who sells fresh milk and Miraa along the Wajir-Mandera road in Tarbaj sub-county, could not hide her joy when asked how the street lights have changes her life.

CRIME DETERRENT

"I used to only work during the day and on those nights when the full moon would light up the streets. But now I can work all through the night and tap into night travellers," Hussein said.

Wajir North Deputy County Commissioner Benjamin Nzioka said In Bute, the street lights act as a deterrent to crime and have put an end to break-ins of shops located along the Wajir-Moyale road.

"Snake bite incidents have also reduced considerably," he said.