Adeleke assures Osun community of electricity after 15 years blackout

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has directed the Ministry of Energy in the state to liaise with the Electricity Distribution Company and the Federal Ministry of Power with a view to restoring electricity to some communities in the state.

A statement by Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Monday disclosed that the governor expressed surprise that a major town around Ifeland, Garage Olode, has been existing without a power supply for the past 15 years.

According to the statement, Governor Adeleke, who recently passed through the border town, was briefed by a group of indigenes named Imole Political Alliance, who narrated how the town and other adjacent villages have been without power supply for the last 15 years.

Expressing surprise at the report, the governor called for a thorough investigation, with the matter featured at the last State Executive Council meeting.

It further quoted the governor as saying, “We must do everything possible to restore power supply. The Ministry must interface with the Disco and the Federal Ministry of Power to find a lasting solution.

“We must connect Garage Olode and adjacent communities to the national grid. The town is of critical importance, being a major economic zone and a border town. We will explore all options.

“As a preliminary step, the governor has promised to visit the Federal Minister of Power in Abuja to discuss the completion of a major power project said to be almost 80 per cent complete and which has been abandoned over contractual issues.”

The governor was further quoted in the statement as saying, “I will write to the minister ahead of my visit to Abuja. We must not allow the project to waste. If completion is almost 80 per cent, then the Federal Ministry will be encouraged to ramp up efforts to complete the remaining phases.

“I am also directing the ministry to summon the distribution company covering the area. Let’s hear from the discos. What are the challenges? What can be done to restore power supply?

“I want to assure my people of Garage Olode and adjacent areas that our administration will break the jinx. We have done it for the Obokun areas. We will repeat the feat for Garage Olode and others.”