The Cross River State Government has taken delivery of equipment for the building of a 20 Megawatts power plant with a view to ensuring 24-hour power supply in Calabar.
Receiving the equipment, along Parliamentary Extension in Calabar, An excited Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, accompanied by some government officials, told journalists that the delivery showed that the Memorandum of Understandings he has been signing were coming into action.
He pointed out the equipment were designed to run economically and will aid the state arrest the issues surrounding power supply to drive an industrialized local economy.
“This is one of the outcomes of those my trips in my first year in office when we were still trying to do agenda setting for the government. It will generate 20 Megawatts of embedded power for Cross River State,” he said.
“I am happy to announce to you today that we are taking delivery of 20 Megawatts equipment for embedded power generation for the city of Calabar.”
The governor assured residents of Calabar that electricity tariff will be affordable to all adding that five more containers laden with equipment are scheduled to arrive soon after the initial delivery of five.
He also revealed that the project will enhance security in Calabar, especially as the Calabar festival is fast approaching, adding that his administration has already commenced the process of strengthening the distribution network in Calabar by replacing obsolete and non-functioning transformers across the city.
“The whole street lights are going to be connected to this grid and we are going to pick up the diesel engines from the streets and then link all the street lights to this plant so that Calabar South up to Anantigha, Atimbo and all those areas including 8 Miles, Nassarawa will be lit up,” he said.
“The equipment was specially designed for economy and also for uninterrupted power supply. So what will happen ultimately is that Cross River State and Calabar in particular will have uninterrupted power supply, which means perhaps Calabar will be the first state capital to have uninterrupted power supply in the country.
“We are beginning to convert the many MoUs we signed to full action, all the MOU’s are taking the breath of life. I can guarantee the people of Calabar that in 3 months from today we would have finished the installation and Cross River State will enjoy steady supply of electricity.”
Applauding Cross Riverians for being mature in their payment of bills which places the state at the zenith of civility in terms of voluntary payment of electricity tariffs, Ayade said the state will ensure the protection of consumer rights.
Story by David Oputah
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