Ife North Electricity: Work Begins On Damaged Facilities As Government Releases Fund - IFECITYBLOG

Residents of Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State may now hope to welcome electricity back to their communities soon after experiencing eight months of total darkness due to power outage.

This is as Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has approved and released fund for the repair and complete overhaul of a damaged 7.5MVA electricity power substation facilities to Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

This was disclosed on Monday during an on-site assessment visit by the State Government officials to the substation at Moro, location of the damaged electricity facilities.

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC had in a statement by its State Regional Head, Akin Ogunleye before the State House of Assembly in October 2021 attributed the delay in fixing the light to paucity of funds as he stated that an estimated 90 million naira would be needed for the procurement of the damaged facilities which he said the company could not afford at the moment.

Reacting to the development, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede, thanked the statement government for the intervention, saying the gesture had rekindled the collective hope of the residents.

The monarch added that the gesture would go a long way in helping to stimulate commercial activities in the areas which have been paralyzed over the last eight months.

Addressing journalists during the visit, the state Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy, Dr. Amidu Tadese disclosed that the Governor had given a matching order to restore the electricity having released the required funds needed to fix it.

“We are in Moro in Ife-North Local Government Area of Osun to assess the damaged electricity facilities provided by the government at Moro electricity distribution sub-station. As we all know, the seven major communities of this council have been in total darkness in the last eight months.

“Sequel to this challenge, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola instructed the Ministry of finance to release the required funds to repair the damaged facilities as part of efforts to restore the electricity with immediately effect.

“This money has been released and paid into the account of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) that is going to ensure the restoration and management of the facilities.

“So, we are here to interact with the officials of the company that is going to handle the project in order to look at what they want to do and the duration that it will require for the delivery of the project.

“From the interaction, we have been assured that the company is going to do a better job and we are going to enjoy better service after the intervention.

“We appeal to the people of the council to remain steadfast and supportive to the Administration of Governor Oyetola. This is not the first time the government will be coming to their aid. Just last year, we were here to inaugurate a road project that had been abandoned in a deplorable condition for years,” he added.

In his remark, the member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing Ife-North state constituency, Hon. Tunde Lekan Olatunji, thanked Governor Oyetola for placing premium on the welfare of his constituents by keeping to the promise.

According to Olatunji, the IBEDC has given a time frame of five weeks for the completion of the project and restoration of light to the affected communities.

"Thank you our Governor and my leader for making it possible to keep the promise we made to our people against all odds and the challenge of paucity of fund. You have consistently demonstrated your love for my constituency and I appreciate you immensely sir. I feel very happy and proud that we facilitated this for our constituency.", Olatunji said.