NDDC Reassures Ondo Communities On N6bn Power Project

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), says its six billion naira 132/33KV Sub Station designed to provide electricity for over 2, 000 riverside communities in Ondo State will be ready for use soon.
The NDDC’s Acting Managing Director, Dr Akwagaga Enyia, gave this assurance while addressing newsmen during an inspection of the project in Okitipupa on Monday.
Enyia, who was in company with the state deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi,
said she was excited that the commission was constructing “a huge power station” in the oil-producing area of the state.
Our correspondent reports that the project got stalled for over 10 months as a result of non payment of the outstanding Interim Payment Certificate (IPC).
However, the NDDC met that obligation last week and work began in earnest as a target completion period of first quarter of 2020 has been agreed between contractors and the commission.
“I was told that for sometime, there was delay in the progress of work on site. When I came on board as the Acting MD, I made sure that funds were released to put the project on fast-track. That is why work is going on at a much faster pace now,” he said.
Enyia stated that it was one of the key projects with many months of outstanding Interim Payment Certificates, which the commission had cleared to pave the way for progress at the site.
Enyia assured that as more funds were made available to the commission, payment would be sustained to guarantee early completion of the project, stating that the contractor had promised to complete the project by the first quarter of 2020.
Also, the deputy governor said the commission had done well in spite of some challenges which were expected in any organisation, especially in an interventionist agency such as the NDDC.
He expressed delight that over 2,000 oil-producing communities spread across five local government areas of Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Okitipupa, Odigbo and Irele, all in Ondo South Senatorial District, would benefit from the sub-station.