Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno has directed Ibom Power Company management to submit a comprehensive audit report to enable him to tackle its challenges for improved power generation and distribution in the state.
Ibom Power is a state government-owned gas fired power plant that was licensed on May 12, 2008 by Nigerian Regulatory Commission to operate a 190megawatts plant.
The new licence empowers the state government to increase its electricity generation capacity from the previous 190MW to 685 MW to accommodate both the 191 MW Phase 1 and the proposed 500 MW Phase 2.
Governor Eno who was on a fact-finding visit to the power plant in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area on Monday, called for audit report to enable him to tackle its challenges.
His visit may not be distanced from the signing of Electricity Act 2023 into law by President Bola Tinubu last month, empowering states and individuals to generate power.
“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,’’ Eno declared.
The Governor noted that it was his administrative style that prompted him to embark on the fact-finding mission with the state government full apparatus to not just the company but other government departments and agencies.
Eno who described his tour of the company as revealing said that a lot has been unravelled on the operations of the power plant, calling for a comprehensive audit report to enable him to ascertain his take-off point in tackling the challenges.
He commended 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 government is controlling shares. It is just to familiarise 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.
“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 visit 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.”
Earlier, the Chairman of Ibom Power Company, Engr. Etido Inyang who had conducted the Governor and his team round the facility, highlighted the operations of the company and requested for the 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, House of Assembly members, among others.
