Joy in Aba as VP Shettima inaugurates $ 800 m Geometric power plant
By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
There was eruption of joy in Aba the commercial nerve centre and economic honey pot of Abia State on Monday, as the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, inaugurated the $800 million Geometric Power Plant Aba.
The 188 megawatts power plant was built by a former Minister for Power, Professor Barth Nnaji from Enugu State.
It is expected to solve the power needs of Aba and its environs, while the extra 88 megawatts will be exported to the national grid.
Eminent Igbo personalities including other Nigerians gathered to catch a glimpse of the colorful event.
Meanwhile, the inauguration is coming place 20 years after the project commenced.
In his remarks, Shettima said the project marked a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s march towards achieving regular power supply.
The VP commended the former Minister for actualizing the lofty project.
Shettima who expressed sympathy for Professor Nnaji over the factors that caused the delays in the operations of the power plant.
Recall that the dispute between the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, and Geometric Power Plant Aba over which company that has the right to distribute power in Aba, had been a major setback to the power plant.
The VP said: “About two weeks ago when I met Professor Nnaji I was curious to ask him how old he was. He told me that he was 67 years, and I was amazed. He looks 80 years. The tears and wears, and frustrations of 20 years have taken a great toll on him. But thank God, we are here to commission this game- changing project.”
Shettima who had earlier inaugurated three roads built in Aba by the Gov. Alex Otti-led administration, showered praise on the Governor for his laudable achievements so far in the state.
“Today in Aba, I saw testimony to good leadership. I saw the outpouring of emotion and support for Alex Otti. Posterity will be very kind to him”, the VP enthused.
Speaking at the epoch-making event, Gov. Otti noted that the inauguration of the power project marked a new dawn in the generation and distribution of electricity in Nigeria.
The Governor commended Nnaji for the big vision which he said, would place Abia on the map of economic transformation.
Recalling his roles in facilitating the project while he was the Chief Executive Officer of banks, Otti said he was fulfilled to note that the same project was being inaugurated under his watch as Governor.
Otti said that the coming on board of the project would help sctualise the dreams of his administration for the economic recovery of Aba.
“Certainly, the success of this power project will not just validate my unyielding belief in Aba but would send a clear signal to local and international investors that Aba is open for business.
“Whatever your line of business, manufacturing, agro-processing, metal fabrication, woodworks, ICT, fashion, services, or retail, whatever be it, Aba is waiting to embrace you warmly because in addition to steady improvements in urban infrastructure, especially roads as we have witnessed since mid-2023, Aba residents and businesses will now enjoy reliable power supply all year round, thanks to Geometric Power.”
The Governor tasked Aba electricity consumers on regular payment of electricity bills, while urging me power giant not to exploit its customers.
“The onus is now on us to pay our electricity bills as and when due. There must be no attempt to sabotage the revenue flow to the company because projects like this require steady cash flow for effective operations — including payment for gas supplies.
“Community leaders must also work closely with security agents to guard against any form of vandalisation of critical supply or distribution infrastructure either for reasons of criminality or wilful sabotage. ”
“On its own part, the business division of Geometric Power must consistently guard against any form of customer extortion, under whatever guise. I am glad to learn that the company had recently embarked on mass metering of households and business premises. It is my wish that the initiative is sustained until every customer gets a meter to gauge and manage their electricity consumption.
Otti said customer disconnection, meter reading, billing, management and resolution of complaints, “must be borne in mind at all times that the customer is king, especially in these economically challenging times.”
He also advised the power plant not take undue advantage of its monopoly in the power sector to fleece its customers.
“Your position as a monopoly within your operational area would in the medium to long term either become a door opener to other equally strategic markets, or a burden that would hurt the company’s capacity to expand to new territories.
In his remark, Professor Nnaji said the project was conceptualized 20 years ago because of the compelling need to provide steady and affordable electricity to Aba manufacturers .
He narrated how Aba traders and manufacturers during a meeting with the then visiting World Bank boss, Paul Wolfowitz; and the then Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Aba people yelled that their ultimate need was constant power supply.
This, according to him triggered the effort that gave birth to the project as a solution to the people’s need.
Professor Nnaji declared that he could guarantee a steady power supply if government would guarantee of steady gas supply to the power plant.
” Now that this project is completed and being commissioned, the test of weather Nigeria can have reliable electricity is actually here.
“The test is about gas supply. We can guarantee that if we have reliable gas supply, we will provide reliable electricity to Aba metropolis.
” The onus is now on the government to demonstrate that reliable supply of power is possible in Nigeria by ensuring that this project gets reliable gas supply”.
Okonjo-Iweala, while speaking virtually, expressed joy over the coming on board of the project.
She said power challenge should not continue to be a challenge in Nigeria if her leaders were committed.
Members of the national assembly from the South East, traditional rulers and captains of industry were present at the inauguration.
