The Federal Government said on Thursday in Abuja that residents of Ondo South senatorial district, who have been living in “uninterrupted darkness” for the past 14 years, will receive access to power by December of this year.
Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, provided the pledge while testifying before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs to defend his ministry’s budget recommendations for 2022.
Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, who represents Ondo South Area in the higher legislative house, appealed to Akpabio, describing the 14-year blackout in the senatorial district as “embarrassing and despicable.”
Several towns in Ondo State’s Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, and Odigbo Local Government Areas, according to the lawmaker, have been in “uninterrupted darkness” for the past 14 years due to negligence.
He said: “The unfortunate situation in my senatorial district in Ondo State where 90 percent of my people have been deprived of electricity power supply since 2007 which is about 14 years of uninterrupted darkness called for serious concern”
“The situation is embarrassing and despicable because I continue to wonder if Ondo South is part of Nigeria because suffering from electricity blackout for about 14 years has grounded many economic activities in the district.”
In his statement, the minister stated that the impacted villages’ electricity will be restored by December of this year.
“A lot of efforts have been made in that regard and I can assure you that the electricity supply will be restored by the end of this year and the people will be happy about it,” Senator Akpabio said.
According to the minister, a total of N28.1 billion has been proposed for the ministry in 2022, with N1.69 billion set aside for personnel costs, N877 million set aside for overhead costs, and N25.5 billion set aside for capital expenditure.
Senator Akpabio bemoaned the fact that the capital money is woefully inadequate, given the numerous projects crying for attention in the Niger Delta region.
As a result, he encouraged the committee to increase the capital allocation to enable the ministry to maintain regional peace.
Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (APC Delta North), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, promised the minister that the committee will work with Senate leadership on the need to provide enough finances for the ministry, given the region’s economic importance to the country
