By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
|
Ondo State government says public facilities across the 18 local government areas of the state will always be in good condition for use by residents.
Chief executive of the State Office of Public Utilities, Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole and Chief Executive of the Electricity Regulatory Bureau, Stephen Bolawole made government’s position known in Akure when they played host to the State House of Assembly Committee on Public Utilities,Transport and other related matters.
They disclosed that moribund facilities are also receiving facelifts across the State.
The Acting Secretary, State Office of Public Utilities, Princess Abike Bayo- Ilawole explained that the Agency which was created in 2017 has the mandate to ensure that government facilities such as, hospitals, schools, markets, recreational centres as well as public spaces are in good condition for use.
She listed other functions of the Agency to include the engagement of mini grid developers, working on recovery of state investment on national grid among others aimed at improving the economy of the State.
State Coordinator, Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Bureau, Stephen Bolawole, where the Lawmakers equally visited briefed the Committee about the activities of the Agency, and explained that the State is the first State in Nigeria mandated by law to regulate electricity matters in its State before President Bola Tinubu assented to the electricity bill, which authorizes States, companies and individuals to generate, transmit and distribute electricity.
Bolawole said in areas where residents are witnessing blackout due to bad condition of transformers, the agency’s monitoring team is already on the field to address the situation, assuring that the agency will continue to create standards for the improvement of electricity, regulate and standardize renewable energy among others.
In his remarks, the Chairman, House Committee on public utilities and transport, Stephen Abitogun who lauded the efforts of both agencies, said it is necessary for government facilities to be functional for residents’ use so as to ameliorate the pains they are going through.
Other members of the Committee assured of provisions of law that will make the Agencies to perform better.
