Business - May 8, 2017

South East Govs seek solution to power problem

Espinews May 8, 2017

0 124 3 min read

Ebonyi to tackle unemployment with mentorship programme — *Governor Dave Umahi*

Governors of the five South-east states rose from a meeting in Enugu yesterday with a pledge to find a lasting solution to the problem of power supply in the zone in order to kick-start the economy of the area.

The governors also constituted an economic team saddled with the responsibility of driving the zone’s economic integration plan. Members of the economic team which would be inaugurated on June 4, 2017 are drawn from the five states in the zone.

Prominent members of the committee include former Minister of Power, Prof Bart Nnaji and a former Economic Adviser to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof Osita Ogbu, among others.

The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, who addressed journalists at the end of their meeting in Enugu yesterday, said the forum has opened discussion with experts in the power sector.

The governors have also interacted with the Geometrics Power Limited, Aba, as well as slated a future date with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to know the challenges of the company and how to help them.

The meeting which had in attendance Governors of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu, Anambra, Willie Obiano and the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, said power was vital to the economic development of the zone, stressing that something urgent must be done to tackle the epileptic supplies in the zone.

“We have invited the team of Geometrics. You know geometries set up power plant in Aba and we want to know the reasons why these things have not been injected into our system and that injection will help the entire South-east. It can power the entire southeast and with further assistance in the area of cement, our commerce and railway.

“We have invited the team to come and discuss with us. We have also discussed with the EEDC and in due course we are going to interact with the team to find out their challenges and find out the way we are going to improve distribution in the southeast,” he said. (Thisday)