INAUGURATION/GROUND BREAKING OF DISTRIBUTION PROJECTS IN SOUTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT OF ONDO STATE

The Management of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) led by the Executive Director Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele paid a courtesy visit to the Gorvernor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odundayo Akeredo, San, at Ondo State Government House in Akure on Monday, 10^th September, 2018

The visit was in preparation for the Ground-Breaking ceremony to mark the inauguration of NIPP’s projects for the restoration and upgrading of power supply to the Southern Senatorial district of Ondo State.

The Executive Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, Engineer Ifelouwa Oyedele, outlined the scope of the contract to cover communities in the Southern Senatorial District in the state.

While assuring that the contract would be completed within the shortest possible time, the Executive Director said the socio-economic lives of the people in the area would be redefined like never before when the projects are completed and operational.

“When the project is completed, it will help the local fishing in preservation of their fishes as well as reduce the cost of buying fuel and diesel to power their generators.

” It will also boost local businesses and the socio-economic activities in these communities will be improved”, he said.

“The Groundbreaking Ceremonies and Stakeholders Meetings in Igbakoda and Okitipupa would usher the commencement of the project by the contractors,” he added.

Receiving the Management team of NDPHC and Contractors for the restoration and upgrading of power supply to the Senatorial District in his office in Akure, Governor Akeredolu said it was heart-warming that the darkness which had enveloped the area for years would soon be history.

The Governor who recalled the promises made to the people of the area during political campaigns, stakeholders meetings coupled with efforts by his administration at restoring light to the area, described their experience for over ten years without electricity as terribly unfortunate.

Akeredolu used the occasion to acknowledge the concerns of the people, particularly the youths in the area and also assured that never again would the people experience such a harrowing situation and therefore appealed for their cooperation so that the already mobilized contractors would complete the project on time.

The Governor also acknowledged the commitment of the federal government and the concern of the Vice president Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN for restoring power supply to the zone.

“The youths have had to block the Lagos-Ore- Benin Express Way to protest the blackout in the area.

“Honestly, the youths have the right to be angry.” He stated.

“Now we are seeing more than ray of light for the southern part of the state. And we want to thank the Federal Government, particularly the vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company for the efforts”, he said

Governor Akeredolu appealed to the contractors to expedite actions on the job and also assured them of the cooperation of the people and adequate security to enable them deliver the project as scheduled.

Governor Akeredolu met with critical stakeholders of Ondo South Senatorial District at two separate Town Hall Meetings in Igbokoda and Okitipupa respectively to awareness for the commencement of the process of restoration and upgrade of electricity facilities to the district by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), after over ten years without power supply to the area.

Four of the six Local Governments in the district: Ese-Odo, Ilaje, Irele and Okitipupa have had their socio-economic activities paralyzed for over a decade in view of lack of public power supply to the areas.

The people have since then maintained sustained pressure on governments particularly the State Government by embarking on ceaseless protests and agitations which have on several occasions created panic, tensions and apprehensions among the populace.

During one of the visits of the Vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to Ondo State in 2017, he promised at a Stakeholders Meeting in the area on behalf of the Federal Government to get power supply restored to the areas.

In the same vein, the meeting of the governor with the management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, also in 2017 regrettably did not make power supply available to the people.

Against this background, the Ondo State Governor decided to meet with people of the district at two separate Town Hall Meetings in Igbokoda for Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Governments and in Okitipupa for Irele and Okitipupa Local Governments.

At Williams Place in Igbokoda venue of the first Stakeholders Meeting, the governor allowed all interested parties from the youths to women, opinion leaders and traditional leaders to freely express their concerns.

Even when some of the youths were going to be shut out of the meeting because of their obvious exuberances and disorderly behaviours, Governor Akeredolu insisted they be allowed into the hall to be part of the meeting.

Likewise, at Idepe Town Hall, Okitipupa, critical stakeholders in Irele and Okitipupa were allowed to express their minds.

The youths, women, artisans, Religious Leaders and Traditional Rulers did not hold back their thoughts just like in the first meeting. They came out in high pitch of pessimism, but the traditional rulers doused the tension by appealing for calm and urged their agitated people to give the State and Federal Governments some benefit of doubts.

Describing the meetings as unique, the Deputy Governor who is an indigene of the area said they were held at a time the State and Federal Governments and some of the illustrious sons and daughters