Samuel Oyadongha
5 September 2008
Bayelsa State Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Maxwell Oko has expressed dissatisfaction over the state of affairs at the State Electricity Board operators of the state Independent Power Plant, the Imiringi Gas Turbine.
Several parts of Yenagoa and its environs have been in darkness in the last two months with the result that most small scale businesses have been forced to close shops on account of the huge running cost.
Bayelsa is the only state in the federation where electricity users do not pay for power consumption with government bank rolling the bills of its citizenry.
Oko who paid an unscheduled visit to the State Electricity Board office at Imiringi in the Ogbia local government area of the state noted with sadness the incessant power outage in the state where residents before the development are used to constant power supply when the IPP was operating optimally.
The commissioner noted that as a state in a hurry to industrialize and catch up with the rest of the country government cannot afford to toy with its power sector if it must impact positively on the lives of its citizenry.
"The state of affairs call for sober reflection and not grandiose celebration as Bayelsans are in a hurry to have constant power supply to galvanize its industrialization drive with a view to enhancing the livelihood of the people," he said.
He stressed the need for contractors handling power projects in the state to meet their contractual obligations or face the wrath of the law and pleaded with Bayelsans to be patient with the state government in its drive to ensure accelerated transformation and development of the young state.
Conducting the commissioner and his entourage round the state Independent Power Plant, the Imringi Gas Turbine, the Acting General Manager, Engr. Bouloukie Yeri decried the situation where professional and technical inputs were sought by the supervisory ministry from the board.
He also informed the commissioner that the damaged switch gear the cause of the power outage in which contract had been awarded was only awaiting factory inspection.
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