Member representing Oshimili North Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon.(Barr.) Frank Esenwah has said that Delta State Government is on the verge of turning around the electricity sector in a short while with the passage of the Electricity Reform Bill that is before the Governor for assent.
Hon. Esenwah made the disclosure in Okpanam during the commissioning ceremony of a 500KVA electricity transformer , provided by Ozoma Hill Top Landlords Association, Ogbeozoma community in Okpanam.
The House of Assembly member said that transformer would not only provide reliable electricity but also empower businesses, enhance the quality life for families and create opportunities for growth and development, describing the initiative as a foundation to build a brighter and more prosperous future for generations to come .
He stated that once the electricity bill was signed by the Governor, the groundbreaking legislation would open up the electricity sector to new players, to foster competition and innovation in order to ensure massive improvement in the electricity generation, transformation and distribution across the state.
Hon. Esenwah, who lauded Ozoma Hill Top Landlords Association for their initiative, informed the people that the days of monopoly by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) would soon be a thing of the past .
In his welcome address, the chairman of Ozoma Hill Top Landlords Association, Mr. Emmanuel Alegu said that the electricity project was a self help venture, achieved through communal efforts of residents of Ozoma Hill Top Estate .
Alegu recalled that Ozoma Hill Top Landlords Association was founded in 2018 by a group of landlords and tenants with that aim of living peacefully with mutual understanding, coming together to exchange ideas for the promotion and development of the community devoid of tribal sentiments with the mandate of moving their community to a greater height.
The Landlords Association Chairman said that since the present EXCO came on board in June , 2022, additional roads had been opened in the area while others were maintained through compulsory levy imposed on all property owners in the community and the strengthening of security with landlords paying as much as Five Thousand Naira each monthly in addition to staying awake most of the nights .
According to Mr. Alegu , the electrification project was placed on priority list and a minimum compulsory levy of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira was paid by each landlord, noting that the landlords were committed in the payment of the electricity levy and hoped that one day it would come to reality.
He said that over One Hundred Million Naira was expended in the execution of the electricity project, which he affirmed would have been the responsibility of BEDC .
Alegu , however, appealed to the state government to come to the aid of the community by constructing link road from Ozoma Hill Top to Benin/Asaba express way , construction of Nwankpa Issele-Azagba road, creation of electoral/political ward and provision of electricity transformer as well as establishment of public primary and secondary schools at Ozoma Hill Top.
In their separate remarks, the Ugoani of Okpanam, HRM, Dr. Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu , represented by the Ikejani of Okpanam, Chief Felix Okafor and the Chairman of PDP for Okpanam/Ugbolu ward 9, Engr. Augustine Obiekea appreciated Ozoma Hill Top Landlords Association for accomplishing the task just as Engr. Obiekea told the people that voters’ registration exercise would soon commence , saying that their gesture was worthy of emulation.
By Magnus Emuji
