Youths in Ondo South Senatorial district of Ondo State have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio over 14 years of power outage in the area which has affected over 1,000 communities.

The youths under the umbrella of the Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM) said the outage in the district has destroyed the socio-economic development of the district, causing the people untold hardship and appealed to President Buhari and relevant authorities to come to the aid of the people.

Speaking during a press conference, the Chairman of NDYM, Akin Omojuwa, said the people of the area heaved a sigh of relief when Akpabio assured that power will be restored by December 2021 but noted that there was no sign that power will be restored soon.

Omojuwa, however, appealed to President Buhari, Senator Akpabio and the Niger Delta Development (NDDC) to release funds for the quick completion of the 132KVA Power station in Okitipupa.

According to him, more than 1,000 communities within five of the six local government areas in the district have been disconnected from the national grid by Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for over 14 years.

“It was cheering news for the people of the Ondo South Senatorial District when the Senate directed NDDC to complete the power project as soon as possible. The development was said to be part of the legislative lobby gingered by the senator representing the district in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Nicholas Tofowomo,” he said.

The NDYM letter to President Buhari and Senator Akpabio further read: “We write for ourselves and on behalf of the good people of the Niger Delta area of Ondo State to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari and Hon. (Senator) Godswill Akpabio, the Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, over their resoluteness to restore power supply to the southern senatorial district of Ondo State which birthed the commencement of the monumental Okitipupa Power Station after 14 years of blackout in the area.

“Moreover, the huge amount of money that has been invested to the project through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is highly appreciated. We patriotically wish to appeal to Your Excellencies to expedite actions on the completion of the project so that the various human cum economic activities that have become moribund in the area can be brought back to life.

“More so that we are at the festive period, the completion of the project will make the season more remarkable for our people. The advantages of the completion of the project and its subsequent opening cum commencement of activities are enormous.

“It will revive the economic activities of the area and thereby gainfully engage the people, particularly the youth of the area in legitimate businesses which will, in turn, reduce street gangsterism and cult-related activities which have characterized the area for some time now.

“Our people will also be motivated to solidify their allegiance in your leadership style and that of your party to have come to their rescue in addressing a problem past managers of our oil money see as impossible to address and our people undeserving.

“We shall be glad to partner with, work with and support you in your uncommon determination to transform the Niger Delta region to a Niger Delta of our dream through your politics of all-inclusiveness and equitable distribution of our oil revenue,” the group said.

(Nigerian Tribune)

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