Ondo State Government in partnership with the Transmission Company of Nigeria TCN has set machinery in motion towards resolving all impediments against early completion of the 2 by 250 MVA akure station for improved power supply to Ondo State and parts of Ekiti state.
The Commissioner For Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr Razaq Obe disclosed this while addressing newsmen In Akure after a business meeting between the Ministry and the TCN led by the General Manager Transmission, Osogbo, Engr Bakare Kassim.
Engr Obe observed that the major issue against the early completion and energizing of the Akure sub station was the resistance owners of landed properties along the established routes otherwise called the right of passage/ways of the Transmission lines.
He lamented that the problem had continued to impede actualization of the trunk A transmission lines that will bring powers from oshogbo in Osun State and Ihibo from Edo state to Akure thus stalling the energizing of the Akure Sub Station that has been completed since 2017.
The Commissioner was however, confident that the issue would be resolved in the next few weeks judging from the synergy between the new Ministry and TCN officials.
He hinted that a joint team of the Ministry’s and TCN officials that has been set up, would from next week begin on-the-spot identification and assessment of the troubled areas along the right of ways of the turn – key project to ensure its amicable resolutions
Engr Obe agreed with the TCN boss that successive Governments in the state had not done enough in the area of collaboration with the company towards engaging communities and landed properties owners effectively in order to nib in the bud the incessant and delays promising that all hands must be on deck to improve the desired results.
To this, Engr Razaq said the Ministry had concluded plans to call a stakeholders meeting of all concerns once TCN oblige the Ministry their true identities and they are properly identified by the joint team promising that the State Government through the Ministry would engage and educate them on the benefits of the project
Responding, the General Manager, TCN, Transmission Osogbo, Engr Bakare Kassim commended Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the creation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources which he described as visionary and timely.
Engr Kassim appreciated the Commissioner’s deep knowledge and appraisal of the energy sector and the challenges facing TCN in the state describing ad a welcome development the trend globally to create a separate ministry to focus on energy, a critical sector.
The TCN boss identified three challenges confronting delivery of power supply to the state to include; delays in completion of projects, vandalization of TCN facilities and lack of robust community relations and engagements before during and after the projects had been delivered.
The TCN boss whose jurisdiction are Osun, Ondo parts of Oyo and Kwara states advocated the need for all round security checks and surveillance on TCN facilities, especially by local security apparatus like Amotekun and hunters expressing the hope that such step would put an end to the unpatriotic attitude amongst some Nigerians.
On effort being made by TCN to restore power to the Southern Senatorial Zone of the state, Engr Kassim said there was an going 2 by 150 MVA sub station being constructed by NDDC at Erinje in Okitipupa Local Government which has the capacity to change the socioeconomic lives of the people in the six local government areas in the part of the state once completed.