Rivers State Government said on Sunday that it was set to restore power to the people of Ogoni, who had been without electricity for over a year.
Tai, Gokana and Khana local government areas of the state had been enjoying uninterrupted power supply from the 20-megawatt Eleme Gas Turbine until the plant broke down in 2005 and the state government decided to shut, rehabilitate and integrate it with the Omoku and Trans-Amadi gas turbines.
Although the state government ordered that the beneficiaries of the Eleme turbine be connected to the national grid as a temporary measure, the Ogoni are still without power.
But at a meeting between the local government areas and officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Power in Port Harcourt, it was resolved that the beneficiaries be connected directly to the Omoku Gas Turbine with immediate effect.
The Rivers State Information Commissioner, Mr. Magnus Abe, told our correspondent on Sunday, that the state had concluded plans to make the Ogoni enjoy uninterrupted power supply within the shortest possible time.
Abe said that under the new arrangement, the state government would provide the three local government areas with 15 transformers and other logistics to ensure their linkage to the gas turbine at Omoku.
He said that the ministry of power had been directed to rehabilitate the transmission in Ogoni vandalised by unknown persons to ensure the success of power delivery to the area.
Abe said, �You will recall that several efforts to rectify the lines between Saakpenwa and Kpopie Junction have always ended in the lines being vandalised, and this has greatly affected the availability of power to Khana, Gokana and Tai local government areas.�
The commissioner stated that the state Governor, Dr Peter Odili, was deeply touched by the plight of the people, who had been without electricity for some time and was determined to restore power supply despite the activities of vandals.
While urging the council chairmen to find a lasting solution to the problem of vandalisation of electricity lines in the Ogoni area, the commissioner said that the state would no longer tolerate the actions of saboteurs.
Responding on behalf of the other local government areas chairmen, Chief Kpakol of Gokana LG, said they were determined to arrest and prosecute anyone caught tampering with electricity facilities in the area.