NDDC Set To Tackle Epileptic Power Supply In Abraka, Environs

…To Fix Sapele-Obiaruku Road Before December

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is set to tackle the epileptic power supply in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Governennt Area and its environs in Delta State

Speaking to journalists in Oria-Abraka during a courtsey call on HRM (AVM) Lucky Ochuko Ararile (rtd.), Ovie of Umiaghwa-Abraka Kingdom in the said Local Government Area, former Managing Director/CEO, NDDC, Eng. (Dr.) Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, said they visited the monarch to formally handover a development project of NDDC.

His words: “The Managing Director and the executive management deemed it necessary to implement a power improvement project in this community because the kingdom is on record to be a very peaceful community and also plays a good role in the development of the state. So, we came here to formally handover the project to the king because he is the main custodian of this community so we have to first call at his palace and then of course, the ceremony of the handing over because in line with our principles, we must have the kick off meeting for the project to take off. So what you witnessed is actually the kickoff meeting of the project.”

He continued: “We have investigated and found out that the main injection substation at Abraka is underrated and cannot carry the load and that substation serves not only Abraka but also serves Oria and some other communities around. This project is about improving that station. We are going to inject more power in that substation and that’s why they call it injection substation. There is a big transformer, a 7.5 MVA transformer that this project will install in that substation and with the associated circulatory, the circuit breakers etc. The project also involves installing relief transformers in various places but I don’t know the details of the numbers by heart but at the end of the day, the communities in Oria, Abraka, even including the university will benefit from this project and maybe Orogun and some other places will also benefit from this project.”

According to him, the project will cost a little over 800million naira.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that NDDC has also intervened in the Sapele-Agbor road project and will also place street lights in several parts of Umiaghwa-Abraka kimgdom.

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Adding: “I have heard that the contractor for the road is yet to report but the reason he gave is because its raining and you don’t do construction when it is raining and that is quite reasonable. The road linking, Sapele, Eku, Abraka and Agbor is currently an ongoing contract that is meant to be funded from Sukuk but we have been here for 3 years and nothing is happening and the people are crying and writing about it In the papers. So, NDDC decided to intervene Before I became the acting MD, people from Warri could not go to Port Harcourt and people from Port Harcourt could not go to Warri for a long period because of flood and when I became the acting MD, we arrested that even though there is an ongoing Federal project the same way this one is. It is an ongoing project and we cannot take it away from the contractors but our people are suffering so what we are doing Is to intervene before the contractor comes to complete his job. Those very bad areas that are impassable, this project that we are talking about will address those failures, scarify those areas and rebuild them.”

Meanwhile, he said NDDC will cover from Sapele to Obiaruku.

On his part, the contractor supervising the project, Engr. Frank Tobi of NBJ Construction Company, disclosed that the project involves the installation of a 7.5MVA at Abraka main that is, Abraka town itself.

“The project will upgrade the existing one by 7.5MVA to a 2 by 7.5 MVA. The injection substation we have in Abraka is already having power problems because they have only one 7.5MVA transformer that is there so its becoming inadequate to be able to give power supply to people around.

“A son of the soil saw the need to be able to assist his community and influence the project to come around so that Abraka and its environs will experience steady power supply and more power availability. To achieve this, there are other smaller substations that we need to construct around here as relief substations to take away load from the one that is existing. We have.two to do in Abraka in Ufuoma Street and in NUT but there is one to be done in Oria an Umiaghwa community and one towards the farm axis. So these are the projects and in the process too, to make it better for all the occupants, they said they will include meters for them so it can assist them from energy over billing processes. These are part of the project.

“Once this project is achieved, power supply problem would have been probed tremendously. Providing about 80% to 90% of power availability is what we are targeting on this project. So this is actually the essence of this project that was conceptualised by the NDDC and awarded. We must be grateful to NDDC. I can assure that we will do this project to the best of standard so that it will be a legacy project so that anytime we look at the project everybody will be excited to say “yes! The son of the soil who has done this project has done well and another son of the soil too was able to be a part of the execution and they did a perfect job” that is our target,” he said.

Furthermore, he said the project will commence from next week, adding: “Our target for the project is maximum two months but we want to see how we can run under a month.”

Earlier, the monarch while addressing the team of NDDC, in his palace, said the projects are dear to the people of Abraka.

He praised Ohwavborua from many interventions he influenced in the past that bettered the lives of his people and Urhobo nation at large.

On the abandoned Saoele-Agbor road project he said that since the funding of the project was by Sukuk bond, upfront payment would have been made, saying that the funds have been embezzled, just as he noted that bad spots along the road have become spots for kindappers and armed robbers to carry out their nefarious activities.

He noted that NDDC’s intervention will improve the security situation in the area.

To the contractor, he said: “These projects mean so much to us. Upgrade of that substation will add so much value to Abraka.

Speaking further, he said it will be a great stride if the projects can be completed before Christmas because Indigenes of the community will.ne returning home by then.for the holidays.

“If completed, it will result in an increase in the number of small businesses,” he opined.

Also present during the visit to the traditional ruler were Engineer Jeremiah Oritsejolone, Assistant Director, Delta State NDDC Office and Engineer Sweet Tefue, Senior Manager, NDDC, Delta State Office.