Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, on Monday announced that his government is set to buy over the Umuahia ringed fence of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in order to provide steady power for the rest of the eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) not covered by the Geometric Power.
Governor Alex Otti spoke at the Geometric Power Aba at a reception organized by the Management of Geometric Power after the commissioning and tour of Aba Power’s new 2 X 15 MVA, Ogbor Hill Sub – Station by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to a statement by Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, his Chief Press Secretary, Governor Otti directed the Abia Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities to hold discussions with the management of the Geometric power over wheeling of its excess power to the Umuahia ringed fence.
“We are in the process of buying EEDC and restructuring Umuahia. By tomorrow (Tuesday, 6th), we will be making an offer to EEDC.
“We have done all the due diligence, we have done all the evaluations and by tomorrow, we will be making an offer to EEDC.
“Our estimation is that with all the 11 sub stations (of Geometric) ready and the 9 local governments connected, somehow, we have the problem of Ukwa West, which we are putting heads together to solve. So, that means that we will have over 80 megawatts excess power from here.
“Ordinarily, what would happen is for that excess power to be injected into the national grid, but then, with the deregulation, our discussion with Geometric Power is around wheeling that 80 or 88 megawatts or any excess power into Umuahia ring-fence. So, once we are in control, that excess power will go to Umuahia,” Gov. Otti stated.
The Governor, while appreciating former President Obasanjo for some courageous actions he took as President, including isolating Aba as a ringed-fence far before now that the federal government has granted states authority to regulate electric power, also, thanked Professor Nnaji for investing in Abia.
Also speaking, the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo pleaded with Prof. Nnaji to include the remaining 8 LGAs in the State that were not yet covered by the electricity ringed-fence of the Geometric power.
Chief Obasanjo, who saluted the leadership style of Governor Alex Otti in Abia State described Aba as the centre of industrialization, which deserves steady power and congratulated Governor Otti, Prof. Nnaji and the entire Abia people on the success of the project so far.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman and CEO of Geometric Power Group, Professor Bart Nnaji, while giving an overview of the vision of Aba Integrated Power Project, lauded former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Alex Otti for their roles which were instrumental to the realization of the project.
He also thanked Governor Otti for his long standing support for the project during his time as the Executive Director of First Bank and later, Diamond Bank, adding that Dr. Otti as a Governor has created enabling environment for the project to thrive. He disclosed that so far, the Aba Power has cost over 800 million Dollars.
The event was well attended by senior Government appointees and Mayors of Osisioma LGA, Aba North and Aba South LGA including the 2 members representing Osisioma North and South State Constituency in the State House of Assembly. The member representing Aba Central State Constituency was also present at the event.
