New Ayede sub-station: Nebo calls for protection against vandalism

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, on Saturday in Ibadan called on all concerned power consumers to protect the new Ayede 330/132 KV sub-station from vandals.

The minister made the call during the formal commissioning of the sub-station.

He said the consumers, who would one way or another benefit from the equipment, should partner with security agents to check the menace of vandalism.

“Vandalism is the major challenge faced by the Federal Government in making electricity available to the masses.

“I call on beneficiaries of this new facility to ensure the safety of these installations,’’ Nebo declared.

He recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had recently commissioned the 434 MW Geregu 2 Power Station in Kogi, as well as the Omotosho 2 Power Plant with a 500MW capacity.

“This development begins the injection of about 5,000 MW of electricity to the national grid from the 10 NIPP plants under the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd.,’’ the minister said.

Nebo commended the World Bank for funding the project under the National Energy Development Project (NEDP).

“The World Bank is one of the nation’s greatest partners in overall national infrastructure development, with particular emphasis on power,’’ he said.

The minister said the Ayede sub-station was only part of the power generation plans under the power reform programme, as others would soon be completed.

He said the project would act as a catalyst for industrial growth and the development of small and medium scale businesses.

“It will also positively impact on the overall living standards of the people in the area,’’ Nebo said.

Earlier, Dr Godknows Igali, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, had advised the residents of Ayede to ensure that they assist in protecting the equipment.

He assured that Nigerians would soon enjoy stable electricity.

Mrs Francoise Marie-Nelly, the World Bank Country Director in Nigeria, said the sub-station was sited in Ayede to provide power in the area.

“This area had suffered unstable power supply for long,’’ she said.

Marie-Nelly, who was represented by Erik Fernstrom, Lead Energy Specialist, Energy Unit of World Bank, said Ayede was a blueprint of what the power sector would be in Nigeria.

She said the project was executed at the cost of 2,019,377.63 Euros (about N303 million).

Marie-Nelly said the commissioning of the transformer would provide an additional 150 MVA transformer capacity to the national grid.

“This will give qualitative and reliable power supply to the Ibadan complex, as well as the Sagamu complex which is an industrial hub of Ogun,’’ she said.

Mr Don Priestman, the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria, said the the power transformer’s commissioning was an indication that the Federal Government wanted to improve energy supply.

“This will boost the socio-economic development of the area,’’ he said.

Earlier, Mr Fortunato Leynes, the Managing Director of Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd. of Ibadan, had linked the development to the handing-over of the former PHCN to new owners.

He said it was a clear indication that the exercise conducted by the Federal Government was successful, and praised President Goodluck Jonathan for the success.

Leynes said the sources of power supply to the Ayede power transmission sub-station were Osogbo and Ikeja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a similar project was commissioned by the Federal Government in October at Karu, a suburb of Abuja.(NAN)