Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The People of Afikpo North Local Government have continued to lament untold hardship and destruction of their economy caused by the non-availability of electricity to the area for more than ten years.
But why the people are suffering, the Commissioner for Power, Peter Ogeali and the Lawmaker Representing Afikpo East State Constituency, Ukie Ezeali during the week engaged in war of words over the N208million emergency funds approved by the state government for the rehabilitation of the power infrastructure in the area.
While Ukie Ezeali accused the Commissioner and the Ministry of doing shoddy and substandard jobs in a bid to pilfer part of the contract money, Mr Ogeali alleged that the lawmaker is simply on a vendetta because of his (Ogeali) refusal to award the contract to him (Ezeali).
The problem
Afikpo was first energised in 1976 and its small population at that time reportedly had stable electricity.
However, as the population grew the power infrastructure became over burdened and started failing.
In a bid to find a lasting solution to the power problem in Afikpo and Ebonyi South senatorial zone where most communities have similar epileptic power supply, the then senator representing the area, Anyim Ude attracted the 133KVA sub-station in Amasiri, a suburb of Afikpo town in 2011.
While work on the sub station progressed at a snail speed the already existing power infrastructure in the area collapsed about 10 years ago throwing the entire local government and neighbouring Edda Local Government into perpetual darkness.
Criminals also capitalised on the situation to vandalise and cart away some high tension cables and other electrical parts making it even more difficult to restore power.
Afikpo town, from which the local government draws its name, is the second largest urban centre in the state after Abakaliki, the State capital.
However, it has suffered gross decline and economic downturn due to the lack of public power supply in the area in over a decade.
Highlighting this, the Lawmaker, Mr Ukie Ezeali said he spends over N3m to buy fuel to run his businesses in the area.
He lamented that similar businesses like his in the area have parked up due to the situation further worsening the unemployment situation in the area.
He said he would have also done the same but for the love he has for his community and the people, he decided to persevere and has managed to stay in business.
He said the lack of power supply has impacted negatively on the socio-economic lives of the people in the area.
He said: “Our people are being compelled to repeat the life of darkness they lived in the olden days. It is on record that Afikpo got stable light in 1976 but alas, that stable electricity faded away since over 10 years ago.
“This has had a debilitating implication in the development of the town in all spheres of life.
“In education, this has affected the educational development of our children as they no longer have the ability to read at night as we used to do back in the days because of lack of electricity.
“This has also led to complete failure of businesses in the area. Businesses depend on power. Establishing and running a thriving business in Afikpo is almost an impossible venture.
“This has led to low employment and translated to massive poverty in the area. Skill acquisition is no longer interesting to the youths because they can’t survive without power.
“The already established businesses don’t get customers because they have higher price tag to their products because it costs them more to use generators. As a result, customers will prefer to go down to Abakaliki or even Onueke to buy at cheaper prices and transport them back to Afikpo. As a result most of these small scale businesses have folded while many are in comatose.
“There is also capital flight through rural to urban migration. People who are supposed to leave and work there no longer do so due to high cost of living associated with lack of power supply. As a result Afikpo town which is an ancient beautiful town is now being deserted and looking like a ghost town,” he said.
The lawmaker also noted that security situation in the area has also deteriorated because of lack of power especially at night as criminals now capitalist on the darkness to carry out their nefarious activities.
He regretted that more than a decade later, the substation, which is believed would permanently solve the power blackout in the area and most parts of Ebonyi South senatorial zone is yet to be completed.
N208 Ebonyi govt fund controversy
In February, Governor Francis Nwifuru, following a memo by Mr Ezeali, approved the release of N208million for the refurbishment of transformers supply of new ones and other ancillary works.
This was supposed to facilitate the return of temporary power supply through the High Voltage lines from Nkalagu but six months later, it has been dogged by one controversy or another.
Last week at a town hall meeting convened by the community Elders, the Lawmaker lampooned the ministry for doing a shoddy job.
This led to condemnations and attacks against the ministry and commissioner by indigenes of the area.
Mr Ezeali while addressing the people said the governor is doing everything to ensure permanent solution to the power situation.
He, however, noted that the Ministry has not been up and doing in completing the rehabilitation works on the transformers.
He accused the Commissioner and the Ministry of diverting the money approved by the Governor for the restoration of power in Afikpo which has cumulatively suffered nearly a decade blackout.
Lawmaker angry because he was denied contract – Commissioner
The Commissioner for Power, Peter Ogeali, at a briefing accused the Lawmaker, Mr Ezeali of vendetta against him and the ministry because he was not given the contract for the works.
According to him, Mr Ezeali had come to him severally and pleaded to be given the contract since he was the one that originated the memo that led to the release of the money.
Mr Ogeali explained that since the approval was given to the Ministry it elected to quality contractors to execute the project working with qualified staff in the ministry to ensure that quality job was done
He noted that he advised the lawmaker to speak to the governor as he was the only one that can order the ministry to award the contract to him.
The Commissioner further accused the Lawmaker of coming back at a later date and begged him to split the money into half which he also refused.
He said: “We strongly believe he merely wanted to paint the Ministry black before his people and position himself as having done more than other stakeholders because there is nothing about the release of funds and the project’s feedbacks that he is not fully aware of.
“This is to the extent that as a Legislator, though not a member of the House Committee on Power, Ukie Ezeali as the people’s representative had the exclusive privilege of being invited to be a part of the Committee when it visited the Ministry on oversight to make enquiries on the said Power project.
“And the committee was reasonably satisfied with the way and manner the project had been been dutifully executed.
“Therefore, when a supposed leader in his class and calibre speaks about issues pertaining to government and governance as though it is a mere Beer parlour affair, his people should be worried and wary that there could have been a lot of devils in the details he has been furnishing the public with since the resurgence of his people’s rage.
“Otherwise, apart from the distinctive roles of the Executive and Legislative arms of government, he knows that all the key people handling the project are from his hometown and Afikpo Local Government Area.
“Even moreso is the fact that the Governor had directed the Deputy Governor, Princess Patricia Obila, to supervise and ensure diligent execution of the project upon the said release of funds to the ministry.
“It is trite therefore to inform the world that we know Ukie’s deep-seated grouse with the project and that is the fact that he desperately wanted to execute it as the sole contractor and perhaps supervisor.
“But he was denied because the Ministry wanted and eventually got someone with a superior knowledge and expertise in the Power field to handle the project to a superb finish and that it exactly got.
“Knowing his own personal antics for the meeting and also being abreast that the key figures handling the project are mainly his Afikpo town’s men, why didn’t Hon. Ukie Ezeali request the contractors and the Ministry staff who are from his Afikpo hometown to also be present in the meeting to at least clear the air on the roles of the Ministry regarding the baseless allegations he heaped on it on the said released fund.
How we spent the money
The Commissioner also gave a rundown of how the money was expended.
He said: “While we commend the good people of Afikpo for their roles in holding leaders at all levels accountable especially in the perennial blackout that the second largest urban city in Ebonyi has suffered, we would wish to straighten the records as follows:
“That on the 28th of February, 2024, the total actual sum of *#194, 059, 000.00* Naira (after tax deductions from the N208M) was released to the ministry for the purposes of procurement and installation of Brand new 8Nos Transformers and rehabilitation of collapsed lines in Afikpo.
“That all the scheduled works as contained in the Bill of Engineering measurements and Evaluation have been completed. Pls see attached copy of BEME.
“That in addition to the Eight(8) Transformers, 5Nos. Transformers was refurbished and Installed at Enohia Nkalu, Amaozara Ozizza, Ozizza Community, Dan Ibiam sub station along Mater Hospital Road and a spare at the Local Govt Headquarters premises.”
He further explained that a letter for the completion of the works was made to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) on the 23rd of May 2024 by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, followed with a joint inspection between the ministry and EEDC on 29th May, 2024.
Ministry showcases projects
Still rattled by the Lawmakers attacks and accusations, Mr Ogeali undertook a tour of the projects across the villages and towns in the area with a team of Journalists.
During the tour, the Ministry had insisted that it was N194M that was eventually released after some statutory deductions by the government with the Governor directing that the Deputy Governor lead as the Chief Supervising officer.
At the Amasiri substation, the team was shown the power lines drawn from opposite the substation to the NYSC camp at the defunct MacGregor College, Afikpo, which it said was the first part of expenses made with the released fund.
According to him, the decision to draw the new power lines which was never part of the initial plan was because the EEDC and TCN had argued that the hitherto existing lines was unfit to transmit loads from the new substation to the newly-procured transformers in Afikpo town.
At Afikpo Local Government Headquarters where the team showed journalists a spare transformer which was kept on the instruction of the State Government in case there is an issue upon the full restoration of electricity.
They also showcased another 500KVA installed and caged in front of the Council Secretariat procured with the released fund.
At Ubeyi the team was shown another new 300KVA transformer procured with the said fund. At Unwana Ward B, the team inspected another 300KVA transformer installed by the team with the money.
The team then headed to Ndibe Beach Road where they were shown two other new transformers; one, (300KVA) beside Senator Agboti’s residence and another 300KVA beside the residence of a former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.
The team was further led through Enohia-Nkalu where they were showed a transformer also refurbished by the Ministry with the said fund. At the compound of the Deputy Governor at Amankwo there was another new 500KVA transformer procured to serve the area.
Opposite WTC, Ugwuegu, there was another 300KVA transformer procured by the ministry.
The Commissioner for Power, however, expressed his disappointment with the non-completion of the caging of the transformers to avoid theft and vandalisation. He noted that it was Mr Ezeali that nominated the contractor handling the caging.
The team then visited another transformer at Amaozara also refurbished by the Ministry. There Mr Ifeanyichukwu Ewa, a native of the area, expressed disappointment that the contractor handling the caging has not been seen two weeks after he took measurements of the transformer.
He noted that as a result, there were attempts by criminals to vandalise and steal the cables which made the Engineers to uninstalled them and keep them safe in his compound.
The team also made stops to look at the Dan Ibiam 300KVA transformer in front of Mater Hospital also refurbished by the ministry and another at the Women Development Centre (WDC), Afikpo all refurbished by the Ministry of Power and Energy.
Why Power has not been restored
The Ministry explained that it is the responsibility of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to ensure that energy is transmitted from one station to the other and the DISCOS to ensure that energy gets to the Installed Transformer Substations.
“To this end therefore, it is not the ministry of Power that is delaying the supply of energy to Afikpo because the works as directed by the governor have since been completed by the ministry.
“That what is delaying the supply of power to Afikpo and in some parts of Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone (Onicha, Isu, Uburu Okposi, etc.) is as a result of relocation of High Voltage lines between Nkalagu and Ntezi along Enugu – Abakaliki Highway and the vandalised portion of the Network at Okposi axis.
“Already, government at all levels are restlessly trying to resolve these issues; as approval has been given for the request for variations by the contractor handling the 133KVA Amasiri substation in other to compensate those affected by the said relocation and fully restore electricity not only to Afikpo but other neighbouring communities in Ebonyi South.”
The Commissioner therefore urged the good people of Afikpo to remain calm and law-abiding as the Ministry is committed to rectify all technical issues and restore power in Afikpo soon.
Lawmaker denied allegations
In reaction, the lawmaker denied ever demanding for the project to be awarded to him or for any part of the money to be given to him.
He noted that as an indigene who feels the pain of the people and knows the importance of the project he could not have done so.
He further noted that he has all his businesses located in the area and spends a lot on powering generators, he would not take any action to sabotage the project.
He described the allegations by the Commissioner as a cheap blackmail noting that the Commissioner has been noted for such in the past.
Ebonyi govt wades in
Ebonyi State Executive Council however waded into the imbroglio and expressed confidence in the work done by the Ministry.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Jude Okporo, said the Council took time to analyse the social media ripples that emanated from the Afikpo Light Project as well as issues surrounding it.
“After an intense and exhaustive deliberation, the Council resolved to inform the general public that the job leading to the restoration of light in Afikpo, contrary to erroneous information being peddled in some sections of the media, has been satisfactorily completed, only awaiting connection to the National Grid after the completion of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Power Sub-Station, Amasiri, from which the State Government has extracted commitment that the job would be completed before the end of the year.
“It may interest the general public to know that as part of its negotiation with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the State Government has approved payment for the diversion of the high-tension poles affected by the dualization of Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Trans-Sahara Express Way.”
The Council however cautioned those who are misinforming the general public without verifiable information to desist from such to ensure that peace continues to exist and for further development to thrive in the area, or be ready to face the wrath of the law.
Community begs FG, TCN to complete substation
Meanwhile, the Afikpo Community has pleaded with the Federal Government and the Transmission Company of Nigeria to take steps to complete the substation so as to find a lasting solution to the power situation and help the local government from falling further down into economic doom.
The community made the call after their town hall meeting where they commended Governor Nwifuru for the efforts he has been making to solve the power problem.
The community while commending the Federal Government for the efforts so far made urged the TCN to redouble its efforts to ensure that the project is completed before the end of the year.
