Ebonyi State Government Committed to Restoring Power Supply in Afikpo Communities
After a 13-year power outage, the Ebonyi State Government has reiterated its commitment to restoring electricity supply to Afikpo communities. The State Commissioner for Power and Energy, Mr. Peter Oga-Ali, made the assurance during an inspection of the power project in Afikpo, Afikpo Local Government Area of the state.
According to Oga-Ali, the installation of eight new transformers has been achieved, and the construction of the Amasiri sub-station is also completed for steady power supply. Additionally, five old transformers were refurbished and installed in various locations, including Enohia Nkalu, Amaozara, and Ozizza communities.
The commissioner denied claims on social media that he had misappropriated the N208 million released for the project by the state governor, Francis Nwifuru. He stated that the total money was N208 million, but after tax deductions, the ministry now has N194 million.
Oga-Ali explained that the ongoing construction of the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway is causing relocation of high voltage lines between Nkalagu and Ntezi, which is delaying the restoration of power supply. However, he assured that once the poles are fixed, the power will be restored in the area.
The commissioner clarified that it is the responsibility of the Transmission Company of Nigeria to ensure that energy is transmitted from one station to the other. He pledged more commitment to rectifying technical issues to restore power supply to the area and urged the people to remain calm and law-abiding.
The Ebonyi State Government has sent a letter to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) on May 23, followed by a joint inspection team, to ensure the completion of the power restoration project.