‘YOMI AYELESO writes on how electricity supply was restored to various communities across Ekiti State after being in total blackout for almost 15 years.
Perhaps one of the striking interventions of the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in Ekiti State since inception on October 16, 2022 was the connection of various communities that have been without electricity for over a decade to the national grid. The governor, indeed, promised at his inauguration to improve lives and livelihood towards a shared prosperity through his policies and plans for citizens across the 16 local government areas of the state; this he is pursuing with all intent and purpose.
Economic and social activities were brought to a halt in the affected communities of Ekiti West, Ekiti East, Gbonyin and Ayekire local government areas for several years. The successive administrations of Ayodele Fayose and Dr Kayode Fayemi in the state were unable to address the challenge for over a decade.
Aside from the effect of the prolonged blackout on the residents, industries were forced to shut down in these communities after battling with high cost of alternative sources of power which was not sustainable for them.
But upon assumption of office last year October, following his promises during the electioneering, Governor Oyebanji set in motion machineries towards reconnecting the communities to national grid. The governor had reiterated that for his administration to achieve his agenda of industrialisation, being one of his six-pillar programmes, constant and regular electricity is needed in the state, especially for industries to thrive.
To the admiration of stakeholders and indeed, the people of the affected communities, the governor went all out to raise money amounting to billions of naira in fixing damaged power infrastructures including purchasing of new transformers, cables and building of power sub-stations.
For his dedication, commitment and deliberate efforts to improve the lives of the citizens in line with his agenda and a clear fulfilment of his campaign promises, Oyebanji, during the celebration of his first anniversary as governor a few days ago, lit up these communities across the state.
For the managements of the Gossy Bottling industry and the Warm Spring and Resort in Ikogosi-Ekiti, the reconnection of the community back to national grid has saved them resources running to over N10 million being expended monthly to power the industry. Aside from the reduction in the overhead cost, the company would have the opportunity to employ more youths in the state, thereby increasing the economic development of the state and more revenue generation for the government.
Owners of small and medium scale enterprises, especially the artisans in these communities would witness improved productivity in their vocations with the electricity supply, which would in turn help them meet up with the demands of their respective customers. Before now, many of these artisans have closed their shops due to the blackout and inability to manage the cost of using generating sets. But with the restoration, many of them are expected back in business.
A 33-year old barber, Tunde Ajibade in Ijan-Ekiti, in a chat with Nigerian Tribune expressed delight over the electricity supply restored to the community after over a decade, saying that the governor has demonstrated his love for the growth and development of the people and the economy.
“In the last 10 years, we have been practically out of business, because of this electricity issue. We don’t have money to power our generator because of the economic situation. Now that we have light, my business will come back to life in full force, and I will be able to attend to my domestic responsibilities,” Ajibade said.
The pomp and pageantry which followed the governor’s visit to these communities for the symbolic switching on ceremonies, and the drums rolled out by the citizens, is an undeniable fact that the people were happy with the reconnection of their towns to the national grid, which will in turn open up the areas for socioeconomic development.
Speaking in Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti West LGA of the Central senatorial district, Oyebanji said the 33KV electrification project, which covers 19km radius and stretched from 132 KV TCN Sub-Station at Omisanjana to connect Erijiyan and Ikogosi-Ekiti needed protection to spur business activities along that axis.
The governor, who described electricity supply as an impetus and a major boost to the growth of SMEs, said this view accounted for why the government places high premium on reconnection of towns experiencing lingering power outages across the state.
Oyebanji added, “I have signed a new bill into law that will make it impossible for anybody to cheat electricity users. Let me also say openly here that the reconnection project was fully funded by the state government, the BEDC didn’t play any role in it.”
He lamented that a town housing one of the state’s business concerns was without power supply for years, saying that connecting the town back to the national grid would boost the water bottling company as well as the tourism potentials of the area.
According to him, “For us, electricity is a critical infrastructure in our Ekiti development agenda. It is indeed, the circulatory artery upon which the Ekiti industrial agenda can be kept alive. Without power any talk of industrialization remains an empty wish, it is for this reason that we made it a major priority in our Six Pillars of Administration.
“When we came on board, the power infrastructure audit of the State indicated that many communities had been without electricity for many years, ranging from 6-15 years. We also noticed that a critical factor that had bedeviled Ikogosi Warm Spring and Resorts and the Gossy Bottling Company was the absence of sustainable power supply and without connecting these facilities to the national grid, it would remain a mere pipe dream and the venture unprofitable.
“In our bid to find a lasting solution, it was observed that there was a 140MVA transformer at the 132KV TCN Sub-Station at Omisanjana, Ado Ekiti out of which only 80MVA transformer was being utilised while 60MVA transformer was underutilized due to lack of a corridor to evacuate the energy to.
“To fully utilize the 140 KV supply to the Sub-Station and to proffer a lasting solution to the electricity supply challenge in the industrial and tourism zone of Ikogosi-Ipole-Iloro, we constructed a 5KM long 33KV line from the Sub-Station at Omisanjana to Baptist High School, Ado Ekiti to link Ilawe line.
“From Ilawe, we constructed another 14KM long of a 33KV line to Erijiyan Ekiti. In addition, we also rehabilitated an existing 33KV line from Erijiyan to Ikogosi industrial and tourism zone to energize the Ikogosi town, the resort, Gossy Water company and Ipole-Iloro line.
“With this, the 140 KV supply from the national grid which was hitherto underutilized is now fully put to profitable use. With the completion of this project, the communities targeted are already enjoying improved power supply to this zone.”
In Omuo-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Council , while commissioning the 33KV electricity network extended to communities in Ekiti East, Ayekire and Gbonyin Local Government Areas, the Governor said, “It is very bad that you were made to be in darkness for over a decade. We know the importance of light, we are not unaware that being cut off from the national grid can hinder economic growth of our communities.
“We did this because if we are able to solve the problem of electricity, our dams are functional and it will be easy for us to pump water into our reservoirs. There is a connection between the two.
While revealing that the reconnections were possible with only resources from the state, he added that he had signed into law a bill that would shield the electricity consumers from the brazen extortion by the distribution companies. The Governor revealed that the new law now mandates the users to pay based on electricity used, thereby prohibiting the estimated billing system that subjects the citizens to outrageous bills monthly.
Oyebanji added, “I have signed a new bill into law that will make it impossible for anybody to cheat electricity users. Let me also say openly here that the reconnection project was fully funded by the state government, the BEDC didn’t play any role in it.
“Estimated billing has been the problem, but if you pay for what you used, nobody will complain. The new law will never allow anybody to cheat us in Ekiti, because you will now be paying for what you use. That they will come and cheat us will not happen again.”
The Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun said the administration of Governor Oyebanji was resolute to improve the lives of the people with deliberate policies and programmes aimed at adding values and enhancing the socio-economic development of the state.
“Let me say that the electricity restoration and other policies of the government showed that Governor Oyebanji places high priority on promoting industrial development and committed to attracting investments to Ekiti to enhance the economic prosperity that would improve the standards of living of the citizens,” the commissioner said.
The Olomuo of Omuo Ekiti, Oba Noah Omonigbehin, who lamented the harrowing experience of the people in the area over a decade said that all the traditional rulers in Ekiti would continually support the Governor, not for partisanship, but for what he has done to liberate the people from sufferings and anguish.
Oba Omonigbehin tasked the Governor on the expediency of putting Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to be more responsive in electricity supply, rather than devoting its time rolling out bills and collecting money on a monthly basis.
On his part, the Onimesi of Imesi-Ekiti, Oba Olatunji Olatunde said the governor has etched his name in gold for rescuing the communities from the seemingly unresolvable power outage that crippled the economic activities of the residents and a spike to insecurity level.
The traditional ruler said, “ While campaigning, you (Governor) promised to reconnect light to Ayekire council and the adjoining Gbonyin LCDA within a year of your administration. The promise looked like an unattainable and uphill task. Our people had even resigned to fate, but you surprised us by living up to the high expectations of your constituents and kept to this promise.
“Within these years of lull, the economic survival of our people was crippled. Insecurity, in the facets of banditry, kidnappings and killings that were once alien to us reared their ugly heads because the evil doers saw the opportunity in the perpetual darkness to unleash their venoms on us.Your Excellency, I know that this singular action will resolve some of these challenges and we are indeed grateful for this show of love to our people.
“My community, Imesi Ekiti, is the most grateful for your manifold generosity, especially giving us electricity after 13 years of darkness. God will lighten your darkness and provide you with more resources to fulfil your electoral promises to Ekiti citizens.”
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
