* Commissions electricity projects across 3 LGAs
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has charged the people of the state to mount surveillance in all the communities and prevent vandals from destroying electricity facilities provided to shore up power supply and for steady economic growth.
Oyebanji also warned communities experiencing restiveness to be wary of their actions, stressing that the government may not contemplate siting any project in any turbulent environment for security reasons.
The Governor gave the charge on Thursday while commissioning a 33 KVA Aramoko- Ijero electricity project in Ijero Ekiti, and another one for Ilawe – Igbala Odo Ekiti.
Harping on the imperative of the towns working hard to avert the destruction of the power facilities, Oyebanji stressed that no community can experience development while in perpetual darkness and mired in an interrupted power supply.
“Light and development are like twins. Any town without electricity will find it difficult to develop. I can see the stagnation and difficulty for Ijero to develop in this situation. From today, the economic activities will go up.
“Our traders, fashion designers, welders, bakers and other artisans will enjoy the full benefit and our local economy will be transformed. Some of the teachers and doctors posted here won’t seek posting to other towns that are electrified.
“For you to enjoy this facility, form a surveillance and watch over it. Don’t allow vandals to destroy it. Those who are destroying our facilities are living within us. They are our people, so help us beg and appeal to them to desist from this unwholesome act. This project is not going to benefit Ijero alone, but all the towns in the local government”.
On how the town can be evenly metered, Oyebanji, said: “I want the residents to work with the Ministry to ensure that all the houses are metered. It has happened in Ikogosi, Aramoko and Erinjiyan. But if you don’t get the meters, you will only see the facilities, you won’t see the light.
“I want to discourage the culture of bulk or estimated billings so that you can only pay for the electricity used, nobody will cheat you”, he said.
Oyebanji promised to extend electricity to the General Hospital in Ijero Ekiti so that the electricity provided can fully serve the purpose for which it is meant.
On the decrepit state of Aramoko-Ijero road that was constituting a threat to commuters, Oyebanji disclosed that the route is a federal road, saying efforts are being intensified to ensure that it receives the attention of the federal government via the federal lawmakers to fast-track action on it.
On the crisis in Ayegunle community, a vassal town under Ijero Ekiti between the traditional ruler and a faction, Oyebanji urged the people of the town to maintain peace, saying the raging bedlam was a statement that would impede progress and development in the town, if not halted.
“Let us allow our traditional rulers to handle it. Let us await how the matter will be resolved. It is a traditional issue that we believe our traditional rulers can handle effectively. Let us allow them to handle it to restore peace to the town”.
Speaking in Ilawe Ekiti at the commissioning of the electricity extension to Igbara-Odo and Ogotun Ekiti, Oyebanji, said the communities had hitherto been getting their power from Ondo State, but would now be receiving maximum supply from Ado Ekiti 33KVA substation, which will be more stable.
In his submission, the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, described the project as significant on the premise that the benefitting towns will be disconnected from the hitherto electricity connection from far away Omu -Aran, in Kwara State and had now been reconnected to Ado Ekiti, which will bolster regular power supply, with high voltage.
“Electricity is the lifewire of development. All the people living between Aramoko – and Ijero won’t suffer unstable electricity supply again. We have done this kind of project in many other places in Ekiti like Ilawe Ekiti and other towns. This is a huge success in the life of this administration”.
The Regional Head, of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Mrs Akin Afuye- Moyosola, applauded the governor for partnering with the firm, by way of reconnecting some towns in Gbonyin, Ekiti East and Ekiti Southwest councils to the national grid.
Applauding the government for its vision, the Ajero of Ijero, Oba Joseph Adewole and President, of Ijero Development Forum, Otunba Niyi Babade, appealed to the community to protect the infrastructurae from vandals, so that they can enjoy the full benefit of its provision.
Oba Adewole regretted that some of the government staff posted to the town used to seek sudden redeployment due to poor electricity supply, saying this would correct this shortcoming.
“Even when we have light, it used to be low supply, very low voltage that can’t power anything. We know that this project will correct all the past sufferings and usher in a new chapter in our history. This project has been completed since June 2024. Some of the conditions laid down by BEDC were provided by the government”.
Commending the governor for extending electricity to Ogotun and Igbara Odo, the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, and Arajaka of Igbara Odo, Oba Edward Jayeola, said the communities will continually support Oyebanji to make a success of his six-point agenda.
Besides electricity, the monarchs saluted the governor for reconstructing Ogotun-Ikogosi Road, Ilawe- Ilawe-Ikere Road and Ogotun-Ikere Road, which has been abandoned for over 50 years.