By Salihu Mohammed
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed frustration over the poor electricity supply to the state despite his administration’s multi-billion naira investment in reconnecting urban and rural communities to the national grid.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti while receiving a team from the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), led by Technical Director Lawal Lawal, Oyebanji lamented that the huge investments have not translated into adequate power generation and distribution due to poor coordination and lack of proper metering.
“Since we didn’t get help from anyone, we decided to help ourselves. We’ve spent billions reconnecting communities, buying transformers, and installing smart meters.
“Yet, electricity supply remains inadequate, and many who paid for meters are still waiting,” Oyebanji said.
The governor called for a proactive approach to resolving the challenges, emphasizing that without sufficient electricity, metering alone is ineffective.
He also criticized the handling of the power sector, stressing that despite efforts to support agriculture and businesses through improved electrification, many areas remain underserved.
PMI’s Technical Director, Lawal Lawal, acknowledged the 7-million-meter gap in Nigeria and reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to bridging it through the Nigerian Electricity Act 2023.
He praised states, including Ekiti, for their support in advancing the initiative and ensuring a more reliable power supply nationwide.
