Oyedele who confirmed to have resisted numerous pressure from his associates to take political advantage of his efforts in restoring power to the region, said it became necessary to put the record straight having observed, at different times, that the aides of the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu and some politicians in the state, are striving to distort the tremendous interventions of the NDPHC under his watch with unfounded narratives.
"The issue of restoration of power supply to the deprived people of the five Local Government Areas after twelve years is beyond politics. It is about the livelihood of a people, it is about the economic prosperity," Oyedele said
"This is why I have restrained from making political mileage out of the misery of my people. I am committed to the welfare of my people without wanting to gain from their misery."
He said he learnt the act of selfless service from his late father Chief Matthew Olakunle Oyedele, M.B.E who made immense contributions to the development of Ikale land and the building of Ondo State Civil Service.
The aspirant, who also hail from Southern Senatorial District, broke his silence on the issue in a friendly response to a question tossed at him by a Former Commissioner in Ondo state, Femi Adekanmbi, on two of the most popular Ondo State WhatsApp news platforms, TRACE News Magazine and TRIANGLE News Magazine, demanding to know what has been his interventions on the issue of the total blackout that has crumbled the once bubbling socio-economic activities in five local government areas of the district - Okitipupa, Ilaje, Irele, Ese-Odo and Odigbo.
Oyedele explained that the entire distribution network to Ilaje L.G. Area, Okitipupa L.G. Area including Ode Aye have been fully reticulated under his watch as Executive Director (Engineering and Technical Services) in Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd. He said the contract for the line going from Okitipupa through Ikoya, Iju-Odo, Ilutitun, up to Igbotako was recently completed and it is awaiting certification from Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency, NEMSA.
He also said that a 7.5MVA substation has been completed in Ajagba while the networks around Ese-Odo Local Government have also been completed and certified by NEMSA.
"It is trite to state that by the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act, it is only Benin Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (Benin DISCO) to which the entire Distribution Networks in Edo State, Ekiti State, Delta State and Ondo State were sold that has the exclusive authority to operate the distribution networks. Benin DISCO is now metering the consumers in these areas and some of the consumers have started to enjoy power supply from the National Grid." The NDPHC Director confirmed.
Oyedele stated further that he is presently facilitating the direct supply of power from NDPHC Omotosho Power Plant under the Eligible Customer/Willing-Buyer Willing-Seller Declaration which is capable of delivering 24 hours of uninterrupted power supply directly to the affected LGAs when it is completed. He said that the arrangement has reached advanced stages and will soon receive the approval of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.
"It is a novel model in that these Local Government Areas will be the first to benefit from the introduction of the Eligible Customer Declaration in Nigeria" He said.
The NDPHC Director also said that he has facilitated the contract for installation of solar powered generators in Okitipupa General Hospital, Primary Health Centres in Ilaje and several other essential facilities in Ilaje and Okitipupa Local Government Areas. He said the equipment imported for the project have been cleared and it is presently being assembled for installation.
Oyedele then confirmed that the Ondo State Government led by Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was fully briefed before the commencement of the projects. He said he personally encouraged the Governor to follow his team to the stakeholders' meetings organised by the NDPHC in Igbokoda and Okitipupa before the project was flagged off.
The governorship hopeful said that the projects would not have been possible without the compassionate help of President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and his colleagues at the NDPHC - the Managing Director, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo and the Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Mallam Babayo Shehu, who sympathised with the plight of the people in Ondo South Senatorial District and gave full approval and support for the executuon of the projects.
"I am also grateful to my colleagues in NDPHC especailly for supporting one of their own to achieve this milestone." Oyedele concluded.
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