The Chairman of Ibom Power Company, Engr. Etido Inyang, an alumnus of Harvard Business School, has explained that Governor Udom Emmanuel commitment to ensuring Akwa Ibom people enjoy uninterrupted power supply, through his Power-For-All scheme, was unparalleled
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Engr. Inyang, who made this know recently during a breakfast meeting with journalists, also explained some of the seeming bottleneck militating against power supply, saying “There are two tiers of power in the industry. One is the generation, which is done by Ibom Power Company. The other involves the Transmission, which is done by TCN, and the distribution, which is done by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC). So, anything on 123-32 is handled by the distribution company, while all the 330s are handled by the transmission company.”
“Without power from IPC, Akwa Ibom State will still have electricity but it will not be consistent and enough. So, we are pumping power, 115MGW, to the National grid and due to how it is being ring-out, the distribution company is unable to take out 115MGW and we are limited to about 90MGW. For example, Afaha Ube has 3/60MVA and when the 1/60, which was commissioned recently, went out we had 2/60MVA. This is like a power hub; whatever you pump drops in there. At times TCN is unable to take out the 115MGW and we are limited to 80MGW or 90MGW.”
“There is a line that is supposed to take power from Ikot Abasi to Aba, which would have reduced the excess power that we are not using; TCN has not fixed it for so many years now. So we are pushing that it be fixed. They are back on tract and they have promised that before the end of the year it will be fixed. There is what we called Uyo to Calabar Line that is control by TCN, which also is ongoing. So, most of the constraints are from the Federal Government.”
“When you come to distribution, PHEDC is supposed to provide sub-stations at strategic positions to reenergize the power and take it to the end-users, they are not doing that. Looking at transformers, when they go bad PHEDC should replace them, same for cables. But they are not doing that. Now, how is IPC concern with this? If you look at our objectives, we are providing power and we have been urged to take that power to our own people. What Governor Udom Emmanuel is doing now is that we are going through a process called ‘Power-for-All.’ And when once we are able to get that done, whatever power we pump will remain in Akwa Ibom. How are we affected and why are we not doing what we are supposed to do? The reason is because we do not have enough funds. PHEDC is only remitting 20% to 22% and that is what the federal government is paying us of our invoice. On the other hand, PHEDC is equally blaming federal government for not doing what they are supposed to do. For instance, the policy for the meter was supposed to have been out a long time ago. It just came out and like you can see, they are distributing meters now. About 40,000 meters have been earmarked to go round Akwa Ibom State. So, that is where we are, when it comes to power,” Engr. Inyang maintained.
Speaking on Governor Udom Emmanuel’s leadership style, Engr. Inyang said “Governor Udom Emmanuel is a leader that was prepared to lead the people of Akwa Ibom. As Secretary to the State Government (SSG), he had an insight before he took over the mantle of leadership. As Governor of Akwa Ibom, he is doing extremely well and his focus has been on his agenda and vision for the state. I feel strongly within me that his leadership approach is one of the best. His Dakkada philosophy is to propel the people to rise up and work. Particularly, it has propelled a lot of youths to self-actualization of their hidden potential. The Governor started with his 5-Point Agenda of Job creation, poverty alleviation, political and economic inclusion, infrastructural consolidation and expansion. If you look at the infrastructure, you will notice that the Governor is really giving more attention to it because there was a foundation kick started by former administrations. The summary of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s agenda is industrialization.”
“In terms of the road network, he is doing that strategically in all the Senatorial District with more of internal roads in Uyo, the state capital. It is apt that the Governor is keeping to his word for the people of Akwa Ibom by creating enabling environment. To put all of this together, without power you cannot achieve it. That is why the Governor is putting enough money into the power sector,” he added.
On the issue of zoning and why the State Governor should be allowed a second term, the IPC Chairman said “I am a proponent of second term for Governor Udom Emmanuel. I am preaching the word that Governor Udom Emmanuel should continue for the second term so that he can be able to finish all the laudable projects he is doing. By 2023, I will challenge anybody to come to Akwa Ibom State and see how industries work. This is because when we put all of these things in place, it will be awesome. By 2019, 2020, we will see mega projects come to fruition.”
He further urged eligible voters to endeavour they get their Permanent Voter Card so as to unanimously vote for Governor Udom Emmanuel in 2019.
In his words, “Wherever I go, I preach the fact that people should go and get themselves enrolled for the ongoing Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) exercise, those that have registered should go and get their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) so that we can unanimously vote Governor Udom Emmanuel for a second term in 2019.”
He condemned the smear campaign allegedly championed by the All Progressive Congress (APC), saying “On whether we are not frightened by the APC, that is politics. Whatever is being heard, for me, is completely politics and that is how it is being played. The reality is on ground that Akwa Ibom is a PDP state. Akwa Ibom State will vote for Udom Emmanuel in 2019. Akwa Ibom State knows that APC has failed even at the centre. There is nothing wrong for those that have collected money from the APC to go round campaigning for APC, what I don’t like is the pull-down syndrome and the smear campaign they are doing. I want to use this medium to urge us play politics by dwelling on the issues instead of to smear.”
