Succour will soon come the way of people of the Southern Senatorial District of Ondo State, as the Federal Government is set to restore electricity to the area to end the over a decade of blackout.
The Executive Director Project, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Charles Ogunmola, disclosed this in Okitipupa, headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state, during an inspection to the 132KV transmission line and 132/33KV sub station constructed by the Commission.
Ogunmola who disclosed that construction of the transmission line and sub station was put in place in a bid to put an end to electricity black out in Ondo South Senatorial District, especially the five local government areas in the district.
He said that the inspection was purposely organised to access the level of the project completion by the contractor and to restate the Federal Government’s efforts at ensuring that electricity was restored to the affected communities in the area.
He noted that.the blackout in the area had crippled socio-economic activities in the area and said the blackout would soon become a thing of the past.
Ogunmola assured that the power supply project would be commissioned before the end quarter of 2023, saying that NDDC is ready to restore light to the Niger Delta coast line of Ondo state, saying that project would be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari soon.
“We are looking for projects across the nine Niger Delta states which had been awarded by our predecessors that need low cost to be completed and Okitipupa power station is one of them to be considered, more so that I am from Ondo State, so the project is more important to me.
“Our people must finally get out of black out that has befallen them for the past 13 years”. Ogunmola said.
Speaking, during the inspection, the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, said his administration is committed to join hands with other stakeholders to restore electricity in the Southern Senatorial Zone, after about 12 years of blackout.
Represented by the Commissioner of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources, Mr Razaq Obe, Akeredolu stressed the importance of power to human existence in modern society, saying it was very pathetic, absurd and unprogressive for a strategic part of the state to be without electricity for over a decade.
He said Akeredolu created the Ministry of Energy Mines and Mineral Resources, to speed up the reconnection of the zone to the national grid in record time.
Earlier, the Consultant, Engr. Akin Oladele told the delegation team that the project is 99.9 percent completed, assuring that the project will be delivered in the next two weeks if the Commission (NDDC) is actually ready for the Commissioning.
He directed the delegation to inspect the step- down lines allocated to Okitipupa power sub station and assured that the connection of Okitipupa sub station to Omotosho power step down will take just only one day.
The Contractor, MD Steady Engineering Limited, Sir Benson Obayelu confirmed that the project has been completed and subsequently undergoing testing processes and said the project will delivered in the next two weeks, if NDDC pays his company accordingly.
He stressed the need for NDDC to get BEDC’s final approval for proper connection to Omotosho power station and made case for Erinje community to be consider in the distribution of electricity supply to other communities.
Obayelu also made public clarification, noting that only two fielders out of six fielders available were awarded to his company – Steady Engineering Limited, and that the remaining 4 Fielders are there for BEDC and State Government to develop.
“At this Junction, I must let the people know the status of the project being awarded to my company. Only two fielders out of the six fielders available were awarded to my company – Steady Engineering Limited.
The remaining four fielders are there for BEDC and State Government to develop, but if NDDC still has financial enablement, then, the commission can go ahead to award more fielders for the benefit of the people.”
The delegation team was led by the NDDC Executive Director Project, Mr. Charles Ogunmola including NDDC Board Member representing Ondo State, Hon. Barr. Olugbenga Edema, Engr. Onwo Nelson, Director, PMS ,Port Harcourt, Engr. Uno. O .Uno, Director, UIDW, Port Harcourt, Mr. Eddie Gordon Okeya, Director, CRD PH;
Barr. Salami Olaniyi Okogie, Director Ondo State office amongst others.
Some noble leaders from the area who joined the NDDC delegation include, Hon. Goke Jatuwase, Chairman Ilaje Local Government; Hon. Funso Esan, former Commissioner for Environment, Ondo State; Hon. Nimbe Tawose, Federal Board Member, Teaching Hospital Oyo; Hon. Fayowole Aworetan, SA to EDP, Hon. Otito Atikase, former Chairman, Ilaje local government, Mr. Ola Omotehinse amongst others.
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