- FG Begins Reconstruction of Power Facilities in Ondo
The Federal Government has awarded contracts for the reconstruction of damaged power distribution infrastructure in the Ondo South Senatorial District of Ondo State.
It was gathered that the gesture was part of the efforts of the government to end the age-long electricity problem being encountered by the residents of the four local governments in the district.
The residents of over 1,000 communities in the district had been without electricity for the past 10 years. Following the development, various youths associations in the area had staged protests at one time or the other, calling the attention of the government for immediate solution.
Speaking at the a meeting of stakeholders with the Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, at Okitipupa, on Tuesday, the Executive Director, Engineering and Technical Services of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Mr Ife Oyedele, said the government was committed to restoring electricity to the Ondo South Senatorial District, adding that work had begun on this.
Oyedele said the type of power intervention that had been approved for the southern district by the Federal Government was unprecedented in the history of the country.
The Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Public Utilities, Mr Tunji Ariyomo, explained that the governor had declared emergency on electricity in Ondo Southern District through a two-prong approach that included “direct intervention by the state government as well as grid-tied intervention through federal agencies such as the NDPHC, TCN and NDDC.”
He added that the state government had covered over 60 per cent of houses in some of the communities in the district with stand-alone solar systems under the state’s Small Home Power Utility scheme.
He said “Apart from Igbobini, the government is also currently working in Aboto in Ilaje Local Government Area. Over 80 per cent of the houses in Aboto now have light.
“We are starting Ebute-Ipare this week and not too long from now, Igbokoda will be having a major hybrid reciprocating gas engine with a solar farm backup while a dedicated IPP is coming to OSUSTEC to power the university and certain parts of Okitipupa.”
