House to investigate 14-year power outage in Ondo communities

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate an alleged 14-year power outage in some communities in Ondo State under the jurisdiction of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by an Ondo APC lawmaker, Odimayo John, at plenary on Wednesday.

John alleged that communities in the Irele Local Government Areas of the state,  including Ode lrele, Ode Ajaja, Akotogbo, lyesa, Ujusun, Ormi, Aturase, and Udogun, had been without electricity supply for the past 14 years.

He said also affected were  lgbotako, llutitun, lkoya, Ayeka, lgbodigu, lrinje, lgundan, ldobilayo, Okitipupa, and most communities in Ese Edo and llaje LGA.

He added that the situation had brought untold hardship to residents of the area as all Small and Medium Enterprises had folded up.

According to him, all major industries situated in the areas had relocated, while others like Oluwa glass Industry, Okitipupa Oil Palm Mill and NTA Channel 26, which tried to manage, had all collapsed.

He added that the Ondo State University of Science and Technology Okitipupa, which was a major hub for private businesses in the town, was also caught in the web of protracted darkness.

Adopting the motion, the House mandated the Committee on Power to summon the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the BEDC to provide an explanation on the problem.

The House also summoned the Transmission Company of Nigeria to explain why Irele, Okitipupa, Ese Odo, and Ilaje LGA were disconnected from the national grid.

The House also directed that communities disconnected should be reconnected, while the committee should liaise with the National Electricity Regulatory Commission on the quick reconnection of the affected LGA.

The House urged the committee to report back in eight weeks for further legislative action.