…As House of Reps C’ttee Visits Gbarain Power Plant
Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government says it is poised to take advantage of the Electricity (Amendment) Act recently enacted by the national assembly by partnering well meaning investors to generate and supply power in the state.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made this known during a courtesy visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Power led by its Chairman, Hon. Victor Nwokolo, to Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo identified poor power supply occasioned by endemic corruption and lack of patriotism on the part of most stakeholders in the sector as a major stumbling block to efforts being made to drive industrial and economic development in Nigeria.
While expressing gratitude to his visitors, he urged them to facilitate the resuscitation of the Gbarain 252 Mega Watts Power Station in Koroama, which had a part of it burnt since September last year. thereby subjecting the state to unprecedented power outages.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo wondered why the federal government-owned station had failed to function effectively for the people to benefit maximally despite the state government’s support.
The Deputy Governor, however, commended the National Assembly for enacting the Nigerian Electricity (Amendment) Act 2024, which ended the monopoly of the Federal Government in the power sector over the years.
The Bayelsa number two man also thanked the Member representing the Yenagoa/Kolokuma Federal Constituency at the House Representatives, Hon. Oboku Oforji, for raising the issue of blackout in the state on the floor of the house, which necessitated the visit.
Speaking further, he maintained that although investment in the power sector was quite capital intensive, the state government’s doors were open for effective partnerships to meet the energy needs of the state.
His words: “We thank the two chambers of the National Assembly for passing the Electricity Act, because it has unbundled and dismantled the monopoly in the hand of the Federal Government. Now it is a question of what you can do in your state.
“If there is no power, there is no development. The power issue is actually the main issue in this country. But unfortunately, that is one area we are not giving enough attention to.
“As a state, we are ready to partner with serious investors in the power sector to produce enough power to meet the energy needs of our state.
“We are happy the Niger Delta Power Holding Company is represented here. We want you to build an additional power plant to boost power generation.”
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, House Committee on Power, Hon. Victor Nwokolo, said they were in Bayelsa for an on-the-spot inspection of the burnt section of the power transmission station at Gbarain in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.
Addressing newsmen at the Gbarain Power Plant, Koroama, Hon. Nwokolo assured that the Committee would report its findings to the House to enable it take informed decisions to improve power supply in Bayelsa and its environs.
Also speaking, the Member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Hon. Oforji Oboku and the Managing Director, Bayelsa State Electricity Company, Mr Olice Kemenanabo, expressed displeasure at the laid-back attitude of NDPHC toward fixing the burnt section of the Gbarain power plant.
While cautioning against politicization of power supply issues in the state, they called on the federal government to prevail on the Niger Delta Power Holding Company and other relevant stakeholders to urgently tackle the power outage problem in Bayelsa.
It would be recalled that the lower legislative chamber passed a resolution to resuscitate the Gbarain power transmission station during a plenary session on Thursday last week following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Oboku Oforji, member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency from Bayelsa State.
