20/08/2024
DETAILS OF OUR FACT-FINDING MISSION YESTERDAY ON THE PROJECT AS PRESENTED BY THE HONOURABLE COMMISSIONER FOR POWER AND ENERGY, EBONYI STATE, HON. PETER OGE ALI
Following my posts here on Facebook and deeper enquiries calling out the Commissioner for Power and Energy, Hon. Peter Oge Ali to clear himself on his role in the over N200M provided by the Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to his Ministry for the restoration of power in Afikpo, he earlier today and under the rain led a team of 12 Media Houses including Okumkpo Radio to a tour of the Council area.
According to him, he didn't want to just brief the Press without them understanding and seeing the facts of the issues on ground for themselves. We left Abakaliki before 9:00a.m and then made our first stop at the Amasiri substation where the handlers of the Direct Labour project led by the immediate-past Commissioner for Power, Engr. Tony Egwu and the Head, Department of Engineering, Ministry of Power and Energy, Engr. Theophilus Elom.
I had quickly alerted our brothers; Iheukwumere Okogwu Otu and Oyim Ugwu Chukwuemeka Ucha who led Okumkpo Radio team to join the inspection and they dutifully followed us while the inspection lasted. Already, the Ministry had insisted that it was N194M and some fractions 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 they said was the first part of expenses made with the released fund. According to the team, their decision to draw the new power lines which was never part of the initial BoQ 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 Ehugbo.
We then proceeded to the 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's an issue upon the full restoration of electricity. They also showed us another 500KVA installed and caged in front of the Council Secretariat procured with the released fund.
We then went to Ubeyi DC where they showed us another new 300KVA transformer procured with the said fund. At Unwana Ward B, we also inspected another 300KVA transformer installed by the team with the money. We then headed to Ndibe Beach Road where we 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 showed us a transformer also refurbished by them with the said fund just before the Ogo. We then landed in the compound of the Deputy Governor at Amankwo where we were shown another new 500KVA transformer procured by them to serve the area.
Opposite WTC, Ugwuegu, we were shown another 300KVA transformer procured by the ministry. There, the Commissioner for Power spoke to the Press about his disappointment with the non-completion of the caging of the transformers to avoid theft and vandalization. Engr. Egwu in responding said it was the Lawmaker representing Afikpo North East Constituency, Hon. Ukie Ezeali that brought the contractor handling the caging.
We got to the transformer in front of Flexible's house at Amaozara also refurbished by the Ministry. There, Brother Ifeanyichukwu Ewa, (Flexible) expressed disappointment that the contractor handling the caging has not been seen two weeks after he took measurements of the transformer and expressed concern that there were attempts to vandalize and steal the cables, reason the Engineers (led by Engr. Tony Egwu) uninstalled them and kept 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 WDC, Afikpo all refurbished by the Ministry of Power and Energy.
We then returned to the office of the Honourable Commissioner for Power in Abakaliki where he officially briefed the Press on their findings and released the following additional information authored and signed by him.
_PRESS BRIEFING BY THE HONOURABLE COMMISSIONER FOR POWER, EBONYI STATE_ .
A very pleasant morning, dear Gentlemen of the Press!
*ACCOUNT OF OUR STEWARDSHIP ON THE N200M RELEASED BY THE GOVERNOR OF EBONYI STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON. BUILDER FRANCIS OGBONNA NWIFURU* *FOR THE RESTORATION OF ELECTRICITY IN AFIKPO AND OTHER PARTS OF EBONYI SOUTH SENATORIAL ZONE*
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION:
My attention and that of the Ministry of Power has been extensively drawn to the claims and disclosures made by the member, representing Afikpo North East Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Ukie Ezeali first; in his Social media account of the roles he has so far played in the efforts to restore electricity in his Constituency and thereafter, in his public speech during the Ozuzu Ehugbo (General Assembly) gathering at Okpoota which held on Friday, 16th August, 2024 at Ogo Amangalla village square. As a matter of fact, some other indigenes have consequently buzzed my phone with several calls, directly accusing me 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.
During the said assembly which was aired live in some platforms for a global audience, Hon. Ezeali merely amplified his earlier positions in his referred Social media articles wherein he craftily claimed ignorance of the whereabouts and expenditures of the said fund graciously approved and released by His Excellency, the Governor in his committed objective of meeting the People's Charter of Needs mantra of this present administration.
The difference in Hon. Ukie Ezeali's written and spoken positions is the fact that while taking his turn to address Nde Ehugbo, he cudgelled what he termed 'inquiry' letters which he purportedly wrote to the Ministry on the said subject matter. However smart those desperate overtures with rather ulterior motives may have seemed, it is only wise to state that Ukie Ezeali as a pretentious "lover of Ehugbo community" was not only being clever by half but may perhaps also be on a vendetta voyage.
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, Her Excellency, Princess Patricia Obila to supervise and ensure diligent ex*****on 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? This is even when it has been proven that he saw some of them in Afikpo just a few days before the general assembly meeting.
To this end therefore, it is obvious and can reasonably be concluded that he is only attempting to fight back. But before that, Afikpo people should first of all ask him what is wrong with the street lights the government contracted him to install along Ndibe Beach Road in Afikpo?
*A BRIEF BACKGROUND*
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:
1. 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.
2. That all the scheduled works as contained in the Bill of Engineering measurements and Evaluation have been completed. Pls see attached copy of BEME.
3. That in addition to the Eight(8) Transformers, 5Nos. Transformers was refurbished and Installed in the following locations;
i. Enohia Nkalu.
ii. Amaozara Ozizza.
iii. Ozizza Community (under the Custody of Hon. Kingsley Ikoro.)
iv. A spare at the Local Govt Headquarters premises.
v. Dan Ibiam sub station along Mater Hospital Road.
4. That a letter for the completion of the works was made to 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.
5. That the Ministry wants the general public to please, note 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.
6. 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 His Excellency has since been completed by the ministry.
7. 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 vandalized portion of the Network at Okposi axis. Already, government at all levels are restlessly trying to resolve these issues; approve the request for variations by the contractor handling the 33KVA 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.
8. We therefore urge the good people of Afikpo to remain calm and law-abiding as we are committed to rectify all technical issues to remain calm and law-abiding abiding as we are committed to rectify all technical issues to this regard and restore power in Afikpo soon.
PLEASE NOTE:
1. The Press asked for the BEME document which detailed the approvals and funds spent in the procurement of the 8Nos transformers and the refurbishement of the other 5Nos transformers by the Ministry and the former Commissioner for Power, Engr. Tony Egwu promised to make them public.
2. Our own brother and Lawmaker, Hon. Ukie Ezeali will also need to clear himself with proper details on the allegations that he's sabotaging the project because he was not given the job to execute. It is more trite when the Power Ministry is maintaining that he did very poor and substandard job in the street lights project he handled along Ndibe Beach Road wherein he used galbanized poles instead of the specified Ministry of Power standard poles.
3. Now that everyone insist that the action of the Federal Minister of Power in approving TCN's request for variation is the only panacea that can solve the problem permanently, I suggest our leaders in Ebonyi and Afikpo in particular mount pressure on the FEC through the Minister of Works using every available mainstream and social media platforms to act on the request letter.
