The Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) on Monday, December 16, 2019, kicked off its first round of electrification projects in six (6) communities in Awara Court Area and Umuapu Court Area, comprising: Awara, Asaa, Obitti, Umuapu, Ochia and Obile autonomous communities in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of the state, with the ground-breaking ceremony performed by the Governor, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, amidst a mammoth crowd.
Performing the ground-breaking ceremony, Governor Emeka Ihedioha who was accompanied to the event by the Deputy Governor of the state, Engr. Gerald Irona, and other elected and appointed government officials, said that the over 26km electrification project was in keeping with his promise during the electioneering campaigns, assuring that his government would construct roads, build hospitals and address the insecurity in the area.
He said: “We came here today to perform the ground-breaking ceremony to signify the commencement of work for the electrification of this area. This project is in partnership with Waltersmith, one of the companies operating in this area. During the period of the campaigns, I came here and promised you that I will deploy the 13% Derivation Fund for the development of the communities in Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta LGAs. After my swearing in as Governor, I directed that funds coming to ISOPADEC should be used to serve the people.
“We consider infrastructural development very important. We will tar the roads, provide electricity and healthcare facilities. We are also looking into the schools. We have come to see you six months into our government, to show dedication, decision and commitment of a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
“We thank the security agencies who are working hand in glove with this administration. My dear brothers and sisters, I want you all to remain good citizens. The oil companies operating in this area are not our enemies. They are our friends. If we disrupt their activities, we would be short-circuiting ourselves. If you have any worries about them, please report to the authority, either to ISOPADEC, your House member or the Deputy Governor. I want to plead with you not to take the laws into your hands again. We have discussed with the oil companies and they have agreed to commence empowerment programmes for our people. They will be setting up the largest gas plant in the country in this area. They need a conducive working environment. They will bring expatriates, but please don’t drive them away. Don’t confront them, but we can use lawful means to get what we want. If you are fighting them, you are fighting the government and we will not support anybody who takes the law into his or hand”.
Earlier in his address, the Managing Director of ISOPADEC, Engr. Owuoma Anthony Okwuosha, assured that the Commission would deploy its funds to the service of the people. He noted that with a combined voting strength of 45,000, the benefiting communities are hosts to SPDC, SEPLAT, WALTERSMITH, with Sterling Global Oil Resources scheduled to commence oil well drilling appraisal in the first quarter of 2020 in Obitti.
While thanking the Governor for the project, Engr. Okwuosha noted that “despite this huge economic and human resource potential of these communities, past administration in Imo State fraudulently neglected and marginalized the good people of Ohaji as well as all the other oil & gas producing communities in Ohaji/Egbema & Oguta LGAs”.
He added: “What ISOPADEC is doing today is the implementation of the vision of His Excellency, Governor of Imo state, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, CON, whose contract with the people of Imo State through the Rebuild Imo Agenda includes universal access to electricity in the entire Imo State with the objective of connecting every household in every corner of Imo State from the urban centers to the remotest country side to the national power grid.
“The project we are launching today is aimed at connecting the entire Ohaji to the national power grid. It is a joint project of Waltersmith Petroleum Limited and ISOPADEC. Waltersmith Petroleum Limited in keeping with its corporate social responsibility has graciously partnered with ISOPADEC and paid over 60% of her 50% funding contribution for the electrification of their host Awara/Ochia, Assa/Obile and Umuapu/Obiti Communities in Ohaji, Ohaji/Egbema LGA”.
The Managing Director expressed optimism that once completed the line would be connected to the national grid without delay. He said: “The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in continuation of the existing partnership with ISOPADEC will act as advisors to the project. Our relationship with EEDC will ensure that once the project is completed the line would be hooked up to the national grid without delay so that there will not be any room for vandalization of the power lines”.
Meanwhile, ISOPADEC has restored electricity to communities in Oguta Local Government Area of the state after eight years of darkness, while work is ongoing in some communities.
The people of Awa, Akabor, Oguta, Nkwesi, Mgbele communities in Oguta LGA who were elated over the restored electricity to their communities commended the Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Gerald Irona, and the ISOPADEC MD, Engr. Owuoma Anthony Okwuosha, for coming to their rescue.
The Traditional Ruler of Mgbele Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Sir A.N. Odika, said restoring electricity to his community was the best thing the government had done to them so far. He said: “Since when I was born I had never seen a thing like this in Mgbele. We now enjoy electricity more than those in Owerri, the so-called urban area. Here we enjoy electricity 24 hours. We have enjoyed electricity here for over two months and it has been like this: 24 hours electricity supply.
“We never enjoyed one minute electricity in the last eight years. With the oil coming from our area, all we enjoyed was total darkness. Today, the story is different. We thank the Managing Director of ISOPADEC, Engr. Owuoma Anthony Okwuosha, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Gerald Irona, and the Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, for restoring electricity to our communities. It shall be well with them”, he said.
Also, the traditional ruler of Nkwesi Autonomous Community, Eze Prof Dele Amuzienwa Odigbo, commended the Governor over the restored electricity in his community, saying: “It is over two months since electricity was restored in our community. Since then it has been full current and 24 hours electricity. We thank the Governor and the Deputy Governor for making this possible through ISOPADEC. It shall be well with them. For giving us electricity, God shall put light in their life and on their paths. We now have electricity”.
