Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has inaugurated the State Power and Electricity Committee. This is in furtherance of his promise at inauguration on March 17 to work aggressively to address the challenges of power supply in the three industrial hubs of Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka so as to generate enough electricity to power the entrepreneurial dreams of the people.

The seven-man committee inaugurated over the weekend at the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia is chaired by the leader of Distributing Power Business of General Electric Company for the Sub-Sahara Africa, Mr. Chike Okonkwo. Other members of the committee are Alex Amakom, Joe Ndiagwalukwe, the Commissioner for Public Utilities, Chief Chinedu Emeka, Mr. Yeye Adejegba, Obiora Nwizu, and Mr. Kingsley Aja.

Speaking at the brief ceremony, Governor Obiano charged the committee among others things, “to provide an accurate estimate of current power supply, consumption and projected demand in the state across various consumer groups and recommend suitable power generation and supply solution, taking into consideration, Anambra State’s climate, environment, landscape, and scale of development.”

He told the team to recommend short and medium-term implementation solution to achieve 100 percent power generation and supply across to industrial clusters and commercial markets in the State within nine months, and to liaise with Enugu Distribution Company to achieve ensure enough power generation and supply across to all urban residential centres.

Furthermore, Obiano enjoined the team to recommend potential investors and partners who shall implement the set objectives under Build-Operate-and Transfer (BOT) basis as well as develop a comprehensive understanding of the Nigerian Gas Master Plan, particularly as it relates to the state and recommend suitable and strategic locations to site new industrial parks, clusters and economic free trade zones in the state. The governor also directed the Committee to power street lights in Onitsha and Awka within 18 months, and ensure regular lighting across four major roads in Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka within six months.

Responding on behalf of others, the Chairman, Mr. Okonkwo, thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve. He noted that improved power supply is imperative for improved revenue generation. Okonkwo assured that the team would put in their best to meet the expectations of the government and the people. The committee would serve for 18 months in the first instance which is renewable subject to satisfactory performance and approval of the governor.

In the same vein, Governor Obiano inaugurated the Technical Committee on the State Building Materials Testing Laboratory with Mr. Hypolite Onyekwena as Chairman and Mr. B.O. Okafor as Secretary.

Speaking while inaugurating the 9-man committee, Obiano said the team’s terms of reference include to advise the state government on national and state policies on standard, specification and quality control on building and civil engineering materials, and designate, establish and approve standards in respect of building and construction materials as well as provide necessary measures for quality control in conformity with Standards Organization of Nigeria Act.

He also charged them to determine the overall policy of the laboratory with particular reference to financial, operational and administrative programme of the laboratory and the Committee and its execution, and enjoined them to also comply with directives from the Commissioner for Works on its various functions. Obiano urged them to carry out their assignment diligently to assist government to combat the challenges of incessant building collapse in the best interest of the state and country.

In a vote of thanks, the chairman of the committee, Dr. Onyekwere, assured that the members team would use their wealth of experience to deliver on their mandate.

The committee will serve for a period of two years in the first instance which is renewable subject to satisfactory performance and approval of the governor.