Following the promise of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio that the people of Ondo South senatorial district will start enjoying electricity by December 2021 after 14 years of total blackout in the area, youths in the region have described failure to restore power back to the area as local embarrassment and international disgrace to the mandate area and the senatorial district.
The Chairman of Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), Comrade (Prince) Akin Omojuwa, made this passionate appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) while addressing Pressmen in Abuja on Sunday, 5th December, 2021. He appealed to President Buhari, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio and NDDC to release fund for the quick completion of the 132KVA Power station in Okitipupa.
In a Press Statement made available to SUNSHINETRUTH, Comrade Omojuwa explained the hardship the total blackout has brought on the people and communities over 14 years ago and becoming unbearable to the people of the area.
“It was cheering news for the people of the Ondo South Senatorial District when the Senate had directed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to complete the power project as soon as possible meant to supply electricity to the district, which consists of oil-producing communities of the state and has a large bitumen desposit.
“The development was said to be part of the legislative lobby gingered by the senator representing the district in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Nicholas Tofowomo.
“It is a thing of note that for over a decade, the residents of the affected communities have been battling with total blackout which was said to have paralysed economic activities and lives of the people. The Ondo South Senatorial District comprises of six local government areas which include the Ile-Oluji/Oke Igbo, Odigbo, Okitipupa, Irele, Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas. And out of these six local governments, only one (Ile Oluji/ Oke Igbo) is not bearing the brunt.
“The affected over 1,000 communities in the remaining five council areas were said to have been thrown into this long predicament of total blackout when the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) allegedly cut off the power supply to the area from the national grid following their alleged indebtedness to the company, running to billions of naira.
“You would recall that Senator Akpabio assured the people of Ondo South Senatorial District when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs to defend his Ministry’s 2022 Appropriation Bill Last month ago.
“The minister was responding to an appeal made by the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial district in the Upper Chamber, Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, who described the blackout in the senatorial district for 14 years as “embarrassing and despicable.”
BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE;
PRESS RELEASE
A PATRIOTIC APPEAL TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AND HON. (SENATOR) GODSWILL AKPABIO ON THE SWIFT COMPLETION OF OKITIPUPA POWER STATION
We write for ourselves and on behalf of the good people of the Niger Delta area of Ondo State to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari and Hon. (Senator) Godswill Akpabio, the Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, over their resoluteness to restore power supply to the southern senatorial distrinct of Ondo State which birthed the commencement of the monumental Okitipupa Power Station after fourteen years of black out in the area. Moreover, the huge amount of money that has been invested to the project through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is highly appreciated.
We patriotically wish to appeal to Your Excellencies to expedite actions on the completion of the project so that the various human cum economic activities that have become moribund in the area can be brought back to life. More so that we are at the festive period, the completion of the project will make the season more remarkable for our people.
The advantages of the completion of the project and its subsequent opening cum commencement of activities are enormous. It will revive the economic activities of the area and thereby gainfully engage the people, particularly the youth of the area in legitimate businesses which will in turn reduce street gangsterism and cult related activities which have characterized the area for some time now.
Our people will also be motivated to solidify their allegiance in your leadership style and that of your party to have come to their rescue in addressing a problem past managers of our oil money see as unaddressable and our people undeserving.
We shall be glad to partner with, work with and support you in your uncommon determination to transforming the Niger Delta region to a Niger Delta of our dream through your politics of all inclusiveness and equitable distribution of our oil revenue.
