Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Determined to tap one of the advantages of the recently signed Electricity Amendment Law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and provide more power to boost industrialisation, equally provide additional power to major towns and cities of Ogun State, the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said his administration would take advantage of the newly signed bill that regulates the power sector by establishing a company that would generate and distribute power supply for the State use.
It would be recalled that on June 9, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the 2023 Electricity Bill into Law empowering States, companies and individuals to generate, transmit and distribute electricity.
Speaking when he received participants of the Senior Executive Course 45, Group 1, of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Prince Abiodun noted that his administration would focus more on the provision of public utilities, which include water and electricity supply.
The State helmsman said his government would avail the opportunity of the constitutional amendment on the power generation, adding that “we will have our own generation company, State Distribution Company and ensure that we can provide more power to our major towns and cities, once we are able to do that, the grid can be sufficient for our small towns.
The Governor disclosed that the government would be creative about reticulation, and provide potable water in all major towns and cities, saying the local power generation would be of immense benefit to the socio-economic development of the State.
Speaking earlier, the team leader and the Director of Studies, NISPP, Prof. (Mrs.) Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam, said the participants are the Senior Executive Course 45 Group 1 of the Institute, who are on a one-week study tour of the State, as mandated by the President to research topical issues of national importance, saying Ogun State was selected due to its industrial capital of the country.
Prof. Para-Mallam said many indigenes of the State had passed through the Institute and were making their marks in both the national and international arena, acknowledging the achievements made by the present administration in all sectors of the economy.