The efforts by the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma would soon result in ensuring electricity supply to communities in Okigwe and other places, Senator representing Imo North in the National Assembly, Engr Chiwuba Patrick Ndubueze has assured.
Senator Ndubueze, who doubles as the Chairman, Imo Power Improvement Task Force while giving the assurance said the approval to Governor Uzodimma from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in granting the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ISERC) regulatory control over the electricity market in the state, will ensure provision of electricity to Okigwe and its surrounding local governments that have been in darkness for years.
Effective from July 1, 2024, the NERC has made it possible for ISERC to become the fourth state to gain regulatory authority over its electricity market, coming after Enugu, Ondo and Ekiti states.
Sen. Ndubueze noted that the affected communities were thrown into darkness for fifteen years due to following alleged sabotage of the area by the NERC Managing Director who was in charge of the area.
He added that with the approval received by Governor Uzodimma and with ISERC on the ground in the state, the affected communities will soon get electricity.
“With the efforts of the Governor, we’ve been granted a Mobile Substation of 1/60. We will now have 48 Megawatt for distribution, and we pray that these people don’t go further to sabotage our efforts again,“ Ndubueze said.
He added that in other parts of the state, there has been no light except occasional ‘flashes’ once a while.
“The power plant that is located in Okigwe, a 2/30 Power Plant, was abandoned for 23 years. It was awarded in 2001 and 2002.
“No security was provided and it was vandalised. TCN granted them 1/60 substation which is equivalent to what we are currently building now. But we must have light before expansion.
“EEDC came and said it should be taken to NERC. Okigwe is the only ancient town in Nigeria without electricity. Okigwe is an ancient town that has not been made a state.
“We were granted another substation but the DisCo in charge of the area, because they have been given a license, refused to supply electricity to Okigwe LGA and the surrounding communities.
“How can Okigwe, an ancient town with university, hotels, factories not be given electricity? Without electricity, they want the area to be the place for miscreants.
“But our Governor, Uzodimma, has worked hard and we have an Imo Electricity Distribution Company today, and NERC has granted our state’s electricity commission the permission to generate and transmit electricity.
“The governor has shown that we must have the amenities in Okigwe and other communities. He has promised to provide electricity to every community and that’s a wonderful step towards actualising this vision,” he said.
Ndubuezeadded, “What the Governor has done, we are so happy. I wish every well-meaning Nigerian, Igbos, to doff their cap to the governor. He has started network distribution in the area. The root for the line has been done.
“Since June last year, we have been pursuing these things. If not for what they did, we would have gotten light by now. We pray that NERC will caution the MD that sabotaged our efforts in the past.
“The electricity issue in Okigwe and other communities is a number one project we wanted to conclude before last Easter, but the MD delayed us.”
He further alleged that the Managing Director, which he did not name, of promoting insecurity and underdevelopment in the area by refusing to ensure the provision of electricity in the communities; querying, “We don’t know why the government should keep such people in office.”
Also speaking, a member of Imo Power Improvement Task Force and former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chidi Nwogu, commended Gov Uzodimma for the support given his team and for achieving the feat.
Nwogu said, “We must commend our Governor on his efforts and support in pushing the Imo Power Improvement Task Force, led by Senator Patrick Ndubueze and myself as a member in achieving this milestone.”