The wife of Edo State Governor, Betsy Obaseki on Wednesday flagged off the sale of 500,000 pre-paid meters to residents across the three senatorial zones in the state.

She said the initiative was geared towards making electricity meters affordable to residents, eliminating estimated billings and boosting small and medium-scale businesses.

Betsy, who disclosed this in Benin, noted that the Edo State Government’s desire to end the suffering of people gave rise to the initiative.

She also lauded the Benin disco and other partners for their collaboration, while calling for adequate awareness of the registration processes to enable the people to key into the project.

Also, the State Commissioner for Mining, Energy, Oil and Gas, Enaholo Ojiefo said the project was part of the governor Godwin administration’s drive for a 24-hour power supply in the State.

Ojiefo said residents who apply and make payments through the dedicated portal would be connected within two weeks.

He said, “The distribution processes would be 100 per cent transparent for Edo people.

“There is a committee which included local government chairmen, and there would be registration centres across the 18 councils.

“The Edo State Government also intend to solar-power places of worship, hospitals, hotels and SMEs. We will build solars for them, so they can pay after four years.

“Recall that the Edo State Government’s push for stable power led to the birth of the Ossiomo power plant and the new electricity law which is what we are enjoying.

“Edo would have spent 30 per cent of its budget on diesel if not for Obaseki’s electricity project through Ossiomo which is powering Edo government facilities.”