NASS LAMENTS ABANDONMENT OF POWER SUB-STATION IN IMO, DEMANDS ACTION

REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

The National Assembly has expressed concern about the abandonment of a power sub-station project located at Ibeku in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.

The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Mr. Mike Etaba, expressed the displeasure when he led members of the committee to an oversight visit to the project, which commenced in 2011.

He noted that the non-completion of the project had led to perennial black outs experienced by the people of Aboh, Ahiazu and Ezinihitte Mbise Local Government Areas, thereby hindering socio-economic life of the people.

Mr. Etaba, however, expressed worry over the level of vandalism in the site but added that the House would carry out a holistic enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the abandonment of the facility with a view to ensuring speedy completion of the project.

The Representative of Transmission Company of Nigeria, Mr. Rabiu Bako, said about 60% of equipment needed at the sub-station had been procured, the noting that further directive was being awaited for job to continue.

The Chief Technical Officer Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Vincent Ekwekwu, explained that Imo State had only one functional sub-station located at Egbu in Owerri North, hence the reason for load shedding in most parts of the state.

The traditional ruler of Ibeku in Aboh Mbise, Eze Onyekachi Ukpabi, lamented the hardship experienced by the people due to power outage and appealed for speedy completion of work at the station as well as provision of transformers to boost electricity supply.

The Committee later visited some electricity installations across the three local government areas of Mbaise section and Ngor-Okpalla Local Government where it directed the distribution company to address the issues raised by the people.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU