Saheed Ibrahim

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The Commissioner for Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Engr. Razaq Obe, has revealed that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu created the new Ministry to solve electricity problem in the Southern part of the state, which has been in darkness for over 13 years.

Obe, who spoke with The Hope after a roundtable meeting with traditional rulers from Ondo South and the consultant handling the electricity project in the area, said that everything that needed to be done had been done to ensure Southern  part of Ondo was electrified as soon as possible.

While nothing that electricity is pivotal to the development of any community, he said Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was ready to put in the needed resources to ensure power supply in the area, adding that the Ministry would partner with stakeholders in Ondo South to ensure all hurdles militating against the success of the power project were surmounted.

His words: “Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN created this ministry to solve some problems, especially the power problem in Ondo South and he is marking progress. He wants to hear we are done and he is not willing to receive any excuse. He just want results now.

“So, with all the projects in the pipeline and all of the things we are doing right now, I am persuaded that the power problem in Ondo South will be over in no time and stability of electricity in Ondo state generally will improve drastically.

He appealed to all the stakeholders especially the people of the South, to use power responsibly, warning that power theft would not be taken lightly as those found wanting would be made to face the law.

While saying the state government was partnering with leaders and people of the zone, the commissioner said the project would be driven with vigour to ensure electricity was restored to the Southern zone in the coming months.

“We are here to drive things from where they are to those frontiers that they should be. We want to have the electricity in this sustainable way that the people are paying and the infrastructures are maintained and all of the things that go into electricity generation, transmission and distribution work well,” he said.

Also speaking after the meeting, the Chairman, Ondo South Power Committee, Oba Festus Olumoyegun, the Oniju of Iju-Odo described the meeting as a successful one, expressing the readiness of people of the South to cooperate with the state government to ensure power was restored in the area after 13 years of blackout.

“We are ready to cooperate because we have been suffering for the past 13 years. From what we have seen today, there is positive reaction and I know that things will be done. I know that we will get to where we are going,” he said.

Responding to when the zone will be powered, the consultant handling the project, Mr Andrew Idowu Desmennu said, “We have been talking  about this, that very soon, before the second quarter of this year, power will start to radiate.

“Everything that needs to be done is being done. NDPHC is working on a lot of things now, especially the areas where they do not have power. Like Araromi Obu now, from that rubber plantation, they are extending  it to Araromi Obu. At Oku, behind OSUSTECH, they are extending  power there again.

“Then at Erinje, the line has been down totally and they are working on it. They are running six feeders round the whole five local government areas.