The plan of the Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s administration to build some mini-grid power projects across the state aimed at supplying independent power to most critical public facilities and many communities in the state is a considerable feat of engineering that will bring dividends of democracy to the people of Ondo State.
According to press release issued and signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, Ondo State All Progressives Congress, Mr. Steve Otaloro, a copy of which was made available to The Hope yesterday, this is particularly so in Ondo South Senatorial District where the masses have been denied electricity for several years.
The release added that the 15MW IPP the Governor is putting up in Akure will also substantially power some parts of the city thereby freeing more grid wattage for other parts of the Central Senatorial District. It added that the plant will eventually power all the streetlights thus ending the days of diesel (AGO) procurement as a major drain on government purse
“This test being carried out by the Office of Public Utilities, created by Akeredolu in December 2017, from Fiwasaye to Agbogbo on Metropolitan Streetlight Rehabilitation project has proven successful. This will also be extended to Oke Aro and Igbatoro roads in Akure as indication of smart use of micro-grids.
“Akeredolu’s power intervention initiative is unique and a commendable project as it will bring additional value to the state through employment generation to our teeming population, and also bring about a revolution in the supply of public electricity in Ondo State with prompt attention to faulty supply, increasing regularity in electricity supply and regulated low tariff.
“It is our firm’s conviction that once the country could get its power sector right, economic and social development would also follow. We believe that power is so significant for the economic development of the country; not only economy, but also social development of the country. When we get power right, it will lead to the development of Nigeria’s economy and will touch the society in so many other areas.
“And with the increment in power supply achieved so far in the last three years of President Mohammadu Buhari government which put current generation capacity at 7,000mw that plunged into abysmal 2,000mw in the last administration it is obvious that Nigeria has barely scratched the surface as far as ameliorating the challenges inhibiting regular electricity supply is concerned.
“Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu giant strides in this regard are a step in the right direction. His commitment in this project would definitely lead to increase in regular power supply and capacity building in this sector that hitherto had been neglected by previous administrations in the state,” the release stated.
