July 04, (THEWILL) – Akwa Ibom State Government has said that it will take steps to ensure improved power generation and distribution at the state-owned Ibom Power Company (IPC).
The State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, stated this on Monday, during his familiarization tour of the company in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area.
He said he was not in the mould of acting on reports from the field without confirming things by himself and noted that it was his administrative style that prompted him to embark on the fact-finding mission with the full State Government apparatus to not just the company but other government departments and agencies.
Governor Eno, who described as revealing his tour of the company, said that a lot has been unravelled on the operations of the power plant and called for a comprehensive audit report to enable him to ascertain his take-off point in tackling the challenges.
He appreciated the Ministry of Power, Board and Management of Ibom Power and Savannah Energy for agreeing to proffer solutions to issues affecting the efficiency of the company, assuring that with a repositioning of the company, it will run optimally and the State would witness uninterrupted electricity supply.
“This is part of my familiarisation tour of companies and parastatals of Government, I mean companies that the Government is controlling shares. It is just to familiarize myself with those facilities. That’s why we are doing these.
“My visit here is quite informative. I have uncovered a few things and I am sure we are going to correct all of them because everyone has agreed to work together; the Ministry of Power, Board and Management of the Ibom power.
“Then we also have Savannah Energy, which supplies gas, they are willing to assist by coming up with solutions.
“Let’s have an audit report of what the issues are so that we can tackle, solve them and get the place running.
“When there is progress in the management of the company, electricity will be more stable, then we have a grasp of what is happening in the company.
“So, when you visit a place, you want to get first-hand information of what is happening. Of my small training and experience, I don’t like sitting in the office and receiving reports. That is why we visited today.
“I want to go out there and see things for myself. That is what we have done today, visiting with almost all the apparatus of Government.
“The Deputy Governor is here, the Secretary to the State Government is here, members of the State House of Assembly are here just to see things for ourselves, and of course, we have seen the situation,” he stated.
Earlier, the Chairman, Ibom Power Company, Engr. Etido Inyang, who conducted the Governor and his team around the facility, highlighted the operations of the company and requested for Government’s assistance to enable the power plant to run optimally.
Governor Eno had in his entourage his Deputy, Sen Akon Eyakenyi, Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, and House of Assembly members, among others.
