The Kaduna State Government has said that it intends to ban the sale of high energy consuming bulbs, as part of efforts at increasing energy supply in the state.

Muhammad Abdullahi, Kaduna state’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning, said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kaduna on Monday.

Abdullahi said that government would embark on a state-wide campaign aimed at urging electricity consumers in the state to move to energy saving bulbs, before the ban would commence.

He added that ministries, departments and agencies of the state had already started implementing the energy-saving-bulbs policy.

The commissioner said the initiative is expected to save the state the sum of N360 million, which is about 30 per cent of the amount spent on light bills and fueling of generators annually by electricity consumers in the state.

Abdullahi explained that the strategy was the brainchild of Abdulkarim Mayere, who came third in the “My Great Kaduna Competition” organised by the state government in 2015.

The competition, according to the commissioner, was organised to source for ideas from members of the public on how to move the state forward and make Kaduna great again.

Abdullahi pointed out that the state governor, Nasiru El-Rufa’i had since appointed Mayere as the General Manger of Kaduna Power Supply Company, a new company set up to ensure energy efficiency in the state.

He also said that the state will soon commence the generation of electricity from domestic waste; another idea by Lwahas Adoniram, who was the best contestant in the “My Great Kaduna Competition.

According to the commissioner, “Adoniram suggested that waste could be converted into huge employment opportunities with the local construction of turbines powered by domestic waste.

“We have already entered into discussion with the Federal Ministry of Environment and it has shown interest to partner with us to make the project a reality.

“The people of the state have as much contribution to make, so we opened up the competition last year and received about 500 entries out of which 15 were selected and integrated into the state development plan.

“As you can see, we have already started implementing some of the ideas.

“The state government would continue to engage citizens in policy formulation and implementation processes in order to run a holistic people-oriented government,” the commissioner concluded.