Gov. Otti express readiness to partner EU for Abia’s development
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has expressed the readiness of his administration to work with the European Union (EU) for the development of the various sectors of the State’s economy.
Governor Otti spoke on Thursday
during a tour of the Aba Integrated Power where he led EU delegation led by led by Mr. Massimo De Luca,
to interface with the management of the power plant.
The EU Head of Corporations was in the state on a working visit.
The governor identified the power sector, restoration of public water schemes, health, agriculture, trade (easy access to raw materials for Aba manufactures, standardization of made in Aba goods for export to European markets) etc as areas the State will need support and collaboration with the EU.
He commended the management
of Geometric Power Aba
for the significant progress made in its effort to supply Aba with stable power.
He said, “If the company has 75 megawatts, it means it has some power left that would be needed in the state.
“I am happy to hear the progress that you have made. If you have 75 megawatts, that means, there is still some power left in the second turbine, and I think it should be over 90 megawatts, if you are operating at full capacity.
“The third turbine should also come on stream anytime soon because anytime it is not working, you are losing money. You can never recall it,”.
Gov.Otti charged the management of Geometric Power to wheel the obvious excess power to Umuahia instead of moving it to the National grid, saying that discussions are ongoing in that regard.
“On our own, I was telling Massimo (EU leader of delegation) that we are also discussing with Enugu DisCo on the acquisition of the Umuahia part of the ringed fenced so that, when you have excess capacity monthly, instead of moving it to the national grid, you can just wheel it to Umuahia.
“I have had extensive discussion with Prof. Barth Nnaji who sees that as a profitable possibility,” Gov. Otti stated.
He appreciated the decision of the company to establish substations in certain areas of Aba, such as Factory road, saying that it is important to have such injection of power in selected areas.
Governor Otti, who regretted that the once popular Star Paper Mill is no longer in production in Aba due to lack of power disclosed that soon, it will bounce back as as he has been engaging to achieve its revitalization.
“But, in the last six months, we have been engaging to see how we can bring it back to production. I have had to visit AMCON and I think we are at the point where evaluation is being done.
“So, hopefully, before the end of the year, we will be able to have a landing because growing up around here, Star Paper Mill was a behemoth, employing so many people and it operated a 24 hour basis and one of the most important factors if I remember correctly was power.
“It was actually the inconsistency of power that made the Italian machines that were installed then for over $10 million by Union Bank. I think it was power that made it fail,” Gov. Otti explained.
The State Chief Executive, who noted that he knows how much power the company looses when it sends power to the National grid as it travels and returns, assured members of the management that they would have more time to take the delegation round their facility.
In his speech, the European Union delegation led by the Head of Corporations of European Union, Mr. Massimo De Luca, said that the delegation was there to assess where the company is in terms of the different forms of distribution and finding out the possibility of partnership.
He said that they are targeting catalytic investments from Nigerian investors both, the public and private.
“So, my presence here is to assess where we are in terms of the different forms of distribution, the possibility of developing different forms of franchise and to expand effective franchising in Abia and Nigeria. Hoping that Abia will remain the lead and example to follow for other states in Nigeria ,” De Luca stated.
Earlier, the Managing Director, Aba Integrated Power Project, Barr. Ugo Opiegbe said that they have an embedded power plant that is gas fired and also a distribution system that is combined with the embedded power plant and disclosed that at present 141 megawatts power plant has been built up and commissioned.
Barr. Opiegbe said that so far , they have achieved a peak power production of over 75 megawatts, adding that they have built on the distribution side including four brand new injection sub-station. He thanked Governor Otti for the assistance received from him since the commissioning of the facility last year and appreciated him for the facility tour which he believes would yield fruit.
Members of the Abia State House of Assembly representing Osisioma North, Osisioma South and Aba North, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Mayors and other top government officials were present at the facility tour.