Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has commissioned the 3.6 megawatts Ekiti Independent Power Project (IPP) in Ado Ekiti, in a move seen as a major step towards industrialisation of the state.
Performing the commissioning at the project site located on Bank Road, Ado Ekiti, the state capital, Governor Oyebanji said the project would help alleviate power challenges faced by residents and business offices as well as boost economic activities and industrialisation process as well as enhance the overall quality of life of the people of the state.
The commissioning of the IPP, came barely a month after the Governor commissioned electricity projects in several communities in four local government areas of the state that have been without power supply for over 10 years.
Governor Oyebanji, who described the IPP project as a game changer, said the project is a testament to his administration’s commitment to self-sufficiency of energy aimed at bringing about rapid industrial development of the state through enhanced economic activities and employment opportunities that would lead to growth and development.
The governor, who emphasised the importance of the project in meeting the growing energy demand of the state, while reducing dependence on the national grid, said his administration has put in place a series of measures to put an end to the ugly situation of epileptic power supply in the state.
He explained that his government has rehabilitated and reconnected Gbonyin/ Aiyekire and Ekiti East 33KV line to the national grid, evacuated energy from the 30MVA transformer at the TCN facility at Omisanjana to the Industrial and Tourism zone of Erijiyan and Ikogosi, extension of electricity to the Agric Processing Zone in Iyemero from Eruku in Kwara State as well as rehabilitation of 33KV network from Ilumoba to Ikole Ekiti as against the former connection to Omu-aran feeder, among other interventions in the power sector.
He also said that his government has been able to increase the commercial hours of the state capital by changing the conventional streetlight lamps to solar lamps to improve economic activities in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, while efforts are being put in place to replicate same across the local government areas.
While appreciating the management of Fenchurch Power Limited for the timely delivery of the project, Oyebanji used the opportunity to call on investors in the power sector to come and invest in Ekiti, especially meter vendors who could take advantage of the electricity law which provides an opportunity for independent meter vendors to supply to willing customers.
Oyebanji urged residents of the state to see all electrical facilities in their domains as their properties and to jealously guide and protect them from vandalisation.
He also assured that he will not rest until energy, which is the bedrock of industrialization, is in abundant supply to support the productive energy of the people.
In his remark, Chairman, Ekiti Independent Power Project, Olufemi Bakare said the commissioning of the IPP is an indication that Ekiti State is a forward-thinking and progressive in its effort towards power generation and distribution by taking advantage of the recently passed electricity law.
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