Ekiti State Government has charged the Benin Electricity Distribution
Company (BEDC) to, as a matter of urgency; address the prevalent power
outages in many communities in the State, and the general poor
delivery of electricity statewide.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure and Public
Utilities, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko gave the charge in Ado Ekiti during a
meeting with the management of the Electricity company on how to
improve power supply in the State.
Aluko noted that electricity power supply to Ekiti State is grossly
inadequate considering the population of the state, stressing the need
for a remarkable increase, expansion and a better service to the
region.
He highlighted efforts by the State Government to improve electricity
supply to the State to include private partnership in the construction
of a 5-Megawatt
Independent Power project (IPP) initiated by the immediate past
administration under Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Reiterating the commitment of the present administration, Aluko said
that Governor Biodun Oyebanji would leave no stone unturned towards
improving electric power supply to the State, adding that the IPP
would soon become operational and boost power generation in the State.
He however stressed the need for the provision of meters to ensure
fair billing in the State, adding that proper investigation should be
conducted on what happened to the 8,000 meters announced by the
Federal Government to have been given to the State during the Covid-19
lock-down.
He also seek for the collaboration from BEDC to look for ways of
partnering the Government on how the remainder of power that would be
produced from the IPP would be sold to willing private individuals and
corporate organization in the state to serve as an additional power
to boost its own traditional and insufficient power supply.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Engineer. Olumide Ajayi listed
communities without electricity power supply to include Iyemero,
Ikogosi, Omuo, and parts of Ayekire Local Government Area/Gbonyin
LCDA, and re-emphasized the determination of the state government
towards working to putting an end to erratic power supply in the state.
In his response, the Regional Head of BEDC, Mr Sunday Ofiebor informed
the state of the re-organization of BEDC in Ekiti State from a
geographical into a region of its own.
He promised to ensure improved power supply, adding that efforts were
being put in
place to serve Ekiti people very well.
He however emphasized the importance of prompt payment of bills by
consumers, adding that failure to pay bills is inimical to efforts at
improving electricity supply to the people.
