Several communities in Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele and Odigbo Local Government Areas of Ondo State, have been in “uninterrupted darkness” in the last 15 years following the neglect, the senator representing Ondo South District in the Senate, Nicholas Tofowomo, has lamented.
The lawmaker disclosed the ugly situation on Tuesday while raising matter of urgent national importance through Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules during plenary in Abuja.
In the motion, “Urgent Need To Restore Electricity Supply In Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele and Odigbo Local Governments after 15 Years of Neglect and Blackout in Ondo South Senatorial District”, Tofowomo described the situation as “embarrassing and despicable”
He said: “The unfortunate situation in my senatorial district in Ondo State where 90 percent of my people have been deprived of electricity power supply since 2007 which is about 14 years of uninterrupted darkness.
“The situation is embarrassing and despicable because I continue to wonder if Ondo South is part of Nigeria because suffering from electricity blackout for about 14 years has grounded many economic activities in the district.”
The lawmaker wondered that “a Senatorial district suffering from electricity power supply generates electricity in Omotosho Power Plant in Okitipupa Local Government with a capacity of 512.8MW and 451MW Net since 2005, without the people from the local government and a large percentage of people from Ondo South benefiting from the distribution.”
Senator Tofowomo, however, informed that intervention came in 2012, about nine years ago by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC when a contract of 132KV transmission and 132KV/33KVsubstation and line was awarded in Okitipupa Local Government, adding that “as at today, 85 percent of the job has been completed and all the 145 Transmission Line Towers from Omotosho Power Station to the sub- station has been completed.”
He emphasised that the sub-station outstanding works remain 15 percent which can be accomplished without delay if all the necessary machineries are put in place, pointing out that the sub-station can be ready for transmission to the federal feeders in all the affected local government areas.
The Senate, in its resolution, appreciated the NDDC for installing a transmission sub-station in Okitipupa Local Government that would supply the electricity of Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Okitipupa, Irele and Odigbo Local Governments.
The upper legislative chamber, however, appealed to the commission to complete the remaining 15 percent within the shortest possible time so that power supply would be available before the end of the year.
