By Eyo Nsima
Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ondo State Government to supply five Mega Watts of electricity to the state capital, Akure.
The agreement will enable the NDPHC to supply power to Akure from Omotosho Power Plant in Okitipupa, Ondo State of Ihovbor, Edo State, power critical state government assets and institutions in the capital.
The MoU was signed in Akure by the Executive Director, Networks, NDPHC, Engr. IfeOluwa Oyedele and the Managing Director, Ondo State Power Company, Engr. William Abe.
The Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu who signed as witness expressed optimism that the deal will improve power supply to the state.
Speaking shortly after the agreement was sealed, Odu stated: “We are hoping that through this agreement our people will have better power services in the areas you are covering”.
Similarly, Oyedele said that the deal was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration quest to ensure improvement in power supply across the country.
He said: “The ultimate desire of the Federal Government of Nigeria is that every consumer of electricity must have power supply. Whether it is renewable energy, from the grid or whatever, that is the ultimate aim of this administration.
“Therefore, we as Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited working with the other stakeholders like the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, like the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, we’re just desirous of giving power to the consumers. So, we go all around the country to ensure that everybody gets power supply”.
He maintained that the agreement will ensure regular power supply, adding that “it is scalable, it starts with 18 hours to 24 hours a day”.
Oyedele explained that, “we have stranded power all over the country. There is a limit the amount of power that can be transmitted through the grid, therefore we have excess capacity in our plants.
“It is the desire of this government to ensure that stranded power is released to the consumers.”
Furthermore, Engr. Abe explained that the deal will go a long in improving power supply to the state, observing that currently power supply to the state was epileptic.
According to him, “Gradually we are breaking down barriers in terms of power supply to the state. Hitherto we have an epileptic power supply even to the seat of government in the state.
“With this agreement, we are breaking the jinx that power supply is not a taboo. It is a necessity for the economic development of any nation. If we get this right, it will boost productivity and economic activities in the state”.
