NERC to hear Fayose’s appeal on power failure

By Rachael Maza

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said it will send a technical team on a fact-finding mission to ascertain the cause of perennial power failure in Ifaki and other parts of Ekiti State.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Head, Public Affairs, NERC, Dr. Usman Abba Arabi yesterday.

Recall, Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, paid an impromptu visit to the Commission on Tuesday to appeal for quick and sustainable resolution to what he described as perennial power failure in towns across the state.

The visit coincided with the monthly meeting of chief executives of the electricity industry, where the problem had been deliberated prior to the surprised visit.

According to NERC helmsman, Dr. Amadi said, “The issue is a failure of transmission”. ” This was buttressed by the representative of the Chief Executive of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, whose company provides service for part of the state, the Managing Director of Transmission Commission of Nigeria, Mr. Mack Kast and that of the system operation Mr Dipark Sarma.

Ayo Fayose, informed that his visit was necessary so as to avert breakdown of law and order in the state, having already witnessed violent protest in some of the affected towns but for his timely intervention.

He went further to expressed confidence in NERC’s ability to bring the issue to the forefront “I know you know what to do.”

Mr. Sarma at the brief meeting assured the Governor that the problem was caused by a fault on the transmission line to the state and that the fault clearing which started some days ago would be completed within the next three days. He described the chief executives forum as the new testament of the power industry and urged for greater commitment at improving the power supply.