Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Efforts by officials of the Ossiomo Power Company to restore electricity supply to customers in Benin City and surrounding areas were reportedly disrupted on Thursday after suspected Itsekiri youths in Ologbo community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, allegedly prevented the activation of the IPP II generating unit at the Ossiomo gas plant.
The incident occurred as the company was preparing to activate the power-generating unit as part of measures to resume electricity supply to its customers after nearly a year of operational shutdown.
Ossiomo Power Company has been unable to operate for almost one year following the alleged illegal takeover of its gas plant by youths in the community.
Their actions are reportedly believed to have been influenced by a Chinese firm, Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology Co. Ltd (CCETC).
The prolonged disruption has reportedly affected the company’s ability to generate and supply electricity to customers in Benin City and surrounding communities.I can also make it more hard-hitting and investigative, while keeping the language legally cautious.
When news filtered to some members of the public that the multi-billion naira power company was set to resume the supply of electricity to several thousands of its customers, majority of whom have been in darkness for about 10 months, some civil society groups, including the Talakawa’s Parliament led by Marxist Kola Edokpayi, and some journalists happily mobilize themselves to Ologbo to be part of the epoch making event.
At the site, the placards carrying civil society groups declared their support for Ossiomo Power Company and condemned the vandalization of its facilities by hoodlums, noting that the plant remains critical to the state’s economic and industrial development.
They said electricity is a major driver of development, insisting that the people of Edo State should protect and support initiatives capable of improving power supply and boosting businesses in Edo state in particular and Nigeria in general.
The civil society groups also called for peace and cooperation among stakeholders, saying the focus should be on ensuring that the people have access to reliable electricity which Ossiomo Power Company was providing Nigerians before its operation was forcefully and illegally stopped by the Ologbo youths.
Some of the placards reads as follows: “Almighty God said to Ossiomo Power Company, Let there be light in Edo State”, “Talakawas is in solidarity with Ossiomo Power Company”, “Talakawas Support Ossiomo Power Company”, “Ossiomo Power Company has come to stay”, “We say no to VANDALISM”,
“Light shines over darkness”, “Light brings development”, “Ossiomo Power Company is our own”, “Everybody should support Ossiomo Power Company”, amongst others.
They urged all stakeholders, especially the people of Ologbo community to support efforts to protect the Ossiomo power facilities in order to ensure its electricity-generating capacity for the benefit of the people.
They also appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Benin monarch to quickly intervene in the matter so that the Ossiomo Power Company can bounce back and resume the supply electricity to people of the state.
Recall that the giant power company had earlier alleged the vandalization of its 33KV transmission lines and the forceful taken over of its gas station by the suspected Itsekiri youths, even after giving the community nearly 200 million naira as corporate social responsibility (CRS).
But unfortunately, as the members of the civil society groups were driving out of the area, a large group of an irate youths stormed the place in commando style, threatening fire and brimstones.
They held everyone hostage for nearly an hour fuming why the visitors dared to visit the area without their (youths) authorisation, insisting that only visitors to the CCETC are welcome.
The unruly youths who blocked the only exit
