…Assures of Synergizing with PHEDC, TCN, and GENCOS for 24-Hour Power Supply in Rivers

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara says his administration has commenced synergizing efforts with critical stakeholders in the power sector to ensure 24 hours electricity supply to residents in the State.

Governor Fubara gave the hint at the presentation of a 33KVA capacity electricity transformer to the leadership of Rumepirikom Community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday.

Represented by the Commissioner for Power, Hon. Solomon Eke, governor Fubara said his ministry has started working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN), Generation companies (GENCOs) and the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) to achieve the articipated goal.

Hon. Eke explained that the transformer has been provided sequel to their request to the governor who had directed his ministry to present it to them and also complete it installation at no cost to the community so that it can be powered for actual use by the people.

He said: “The governor feels your pains. See, as people are demonstrating now, it is good to understand that in Rivers State, the governor is attending to the needs of the people. He doesn’t want our people to suffer.

“As a ministry, I want to assure you that we are working towards ensuring that we have 24 hours light supply in Rivers State. It is something we know that we can do because we are already generating sufficient power that will make electricity available to our people in the State.

“But the reason why we are not having 24 hours supply is because of this laxity of PHEDC. Like now, they are supposed to bring you transformer, have they brought it ? No.

“So, if everybody that requires transformer has it and other things things to use to step down this power are made available, it will get to all of us and we will get 24 hours supply. And that is what we are working to achieve with them, and we are pressuring TCN, Gencos and PHEDC.”

Hon. Eke urged the people of Rumepirikom Community who have suffered the lack of electricity for years to be grateful that there is a governor who is concerned about their situation and have come to their rescue.

He enjoined them to continue to support the governor and be patient with the implementation of his various policies and programmes that have started benefitting them.

Hon. Eke said: “Be patient with the governor and support him because evil people want to truncate his administration. Will you allow that? The governor means well for the people and you will not allow that.

“So, give him support, so that he will be able to bring all the good things that he has. He is the only governor that has boldly received the protesters, engaged them and addressed their concerns.

“He came out to tell them that he feels their pains, and assured that he will alleviate those problems. He has started putting words into action. This is part of it, and other areas.”

Speaking on behalf of the Rumuepirikom Community, its Chairman, Nnamdi Nyeche said they are grateful to the Governor for his prompt response to their appeal and has granted it.

Nyeche stated: ‘It has not been long we asked for this transformer. We have been confronted with the difficulties of getting a transformer but it didn’t take us, like three months, that we had asked for it and it is here, a brand new 33KVA transformer from the Governor.

“He has come to our aid to make us to have light. For the past three years, we have not been having light around here. He is not only bringing the transformer, he has put every necessary thing that we needed to install it. We thank the governor for his magnanimity.”

The Commissioner for Power also delivered a transformer to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital ( RSUTH) in Port Harcourt Local Government Area, and stated that it is in keeping with their request to the governor, who is particularly interested that such critical health infrastructure get steady electricity supply.

Hon. Eke also assured them that the ministry engineers will install the transformer and switch it on eventually to serve the hospital community.

“So, our engineers are here, all the materials that you’ll need to make sure that we install this transformer and make it to be functioning has been given to us by his Excellency, the governor.

“And so, the ministry is here to deliver to you and to commence work immediately. That is why we are here. So, I want to use this medium to thank the governor for graciously approving this request of yours and to ask you to utilize and safeguard it.

“I know here’s an enclosed area and your security personnel are working. Ensure that nobody comes here to damage whatever we are doing.”

Hon. Eke emphasised that what the Governor has done for RSUTH should solely be the responsibility of the PHEDC saddled to make available such facilities to its electricity consumers so that there will be an optimal functioning of all power units in Rivers State but they are not doing it.

He said: “So, the Rivers State government is trying to intervene because it is service to our people. The governor loves our people and would not allow our people to suffer.

“Because another person did not play his role does not mean that our people should suffer, no. He doesn’t tolerate that. So, he had decided to move into action to make sure that our people are comfortable.

“Time has passed that they will play politics with our people. The governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is not interested in playing politics with our people. He is here to provide for the people. This is the people’s resources. He is here to serve the people and he is serving them with the fear of God.”

In receiving the transformer, the Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Prof. Chizindu Alikor noted that the gift will greatly enhance full and reliable power supply to the Hospital.

“His Excellency has shown enormous support, and enormous goodwill to the development of our hospital, RSUTH where people who live and do business in Rivers State come for tertiary medical care. Bringing this to us today is another testament of his Excellency’s commitment to the health of Rivers people.

“We appreciate this gesture and assure his Excellency that the hospital management will ensure that this facility, among many others that he has provided for us, will be safe-guided, and maximally utilized to deliver better health care to Rivers people.”

The Power Commissioner, Hon. Eke also delivered a 500KVA electricity transformer to the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology (RIVCOHSMAT), that is located in Rumueme Community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

Hon. Eke said the facility is a result of the evaluation exercise that was undertaken by engineers of the Ministry who visited the institution days ago as directed by the Governor.

“This transformer, as requested, is suitable for you. If it is not suitable, we will not recommend it and the governor will not also have given it.

“So, you requested and we have done due diligence to it and the governor has approved and he has given us matching order to deliver and install this transformer immediately.”

Hon. Eke acknowledged the enormous electricity infrastructure that were built by the administration of Dr Peter Odili, which are yet to be fully maximised to serve the electricity needs of Rivers State.

He said: “I want it to be on record that immediately I took over as Commissioner for Power, I went round all the facilities under my ministry. We have generating facilities and we have enough electricity in Rivers State that we are not utlising.

“We have enough electricity to give to Rivers people on 24 hourly basis, and 7 days a week. There is not supposed to be power failure in Rivers State if the facilities are managed properly but it is work in progress, we are working to achieving it.”

Hon. Eke spoke further: “It is unfortunate that the former administration did not do anything about power. Work on power started with Dr Peter Odili and Rotimi Amaechi did a few works.

“In fact we will continue to be indebted to Dr Odili who constructed gas turbines and they are all functioning and generating electricity that Rivers people can consume properly before even giving some to the national grid. But we are not utlising it because our facilities are not being expanded to cater to the growing population and demands.”

In his response, the Provost of Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology (RIVCOHSMAT), Prof Franklin Nlerum, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara to responding to their request and granting it swiftly.

Prof Nlerum explained: “We applied when our transformer got bad and we tried to struggle on our own to put it in order and it was so difficult that we were unable to do it.

“We applied to him(Fubara) to assist in replacing our transformer that was as old as the college itself burdened by the increased load occasioned by more buildings, classrooms and students.

“And just in moments of weeks, his Excellency saw our letter, did the needful and then today we have the transformer. We want to thank the Honorable Commissioner and members of his team that, when his Excellency’s directive got to him without wasting time, they did all the needful to ensure that we are having this wonderful 500KVA transformer here today which is going to serve this college.

“We remain very grateful to you and it is our responsibility as management to protect the transformer and we are going to do just that,” he added.