By Etop Ekanem

Fresh facts have emerged on how Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State encouraged the Ossiomo Power Plant to extend its power generation and distribution to Okada and Edo Central senatorial district.

This clarification follows claims in some quarters that the state government allegedly crippled the plant because it was linked to the previous administration.

But the promoter of Edo: Nigeria’s Construction Site, Mr. John Mayaki, dismissed the allegation, insisting that the present administration has in fact supported the company.

In a statement, Mayaki said the Okpebholo administration encouraged the indigenous power firm to expand operations and provided land to facilitate the move. According to him, the government also approved the extension of electricity supply to Okada and communities in Edo Central.

His words: “If there is any government that has given enormous support to Ossiomo, it is the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo. When this administration came on board, because it is an indigenous company, Governor Okpebholo re-licensed Ossiomo to supply power to Okada and Edo Central.

“With the support of the governor, the company was also allocated a large expanse of land in Irrua to aid its expansion.”

Mayaki described as false the claim that the state government was working against the success of the plant.

“The narrative that the government does not want Ossiomo to succeed is completely false. The government would not have gone as far as allocating land and encouraging expansion of power supply if that were the case,” he said.

He also clarified that the Edo State Government does not own the power plant but only purchases electricity from it as a customer.

He explained that the difficulties currently facing the plant stemmed largely from internal issues between partners, particularly between the technical partner, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCETC), and the indigenous promoters of the Ossiomo project.

“It is unfortunate that some people have chosen propaganda over facts in discussing Edo’s power sector,” he added.

He further dismissed claims that the plant was designed to generate 550 megawatts of electricity.

“The Ossiomo power plant was never a 550MW facility as being falsely circulated. The plant operates within the range of about 55–95MW. The exaggerated figures are nothing more than propaganda against the administration of Governor Okpebholo,” he said.

Mayaki noted that the project was structured as a private Independent Power Project under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement involving investors and technical partners.

“Suggesting that the government destroyed an Edo-owned plant is therefore misleading and mischievous,” he said.

According to him, the challenges that affected the plant were largely commercial and ownership disputes among private partners rather than deliberate government action.

He also said the recently flagged-off 100MW Ologbo power project was aimed at expanding electricity generation in the state.

“The 100MW Ologbo power project flagged off last week by Governor Okpebholo is meant to expand electricity generation and strengthen Edo State’s energy capacity, not to replace or undermine any existing facility,” Mayaki said.