Akwa Ibom State Government has given approval to the Federal Government to offtake power generated from the Ibom Power Plant located in Ikot Abasi Local Government.
Governor Umo Eno made this known during an interaction with a delegation of the Senate Committee on Power led by its Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and members of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
He said the approval was an expression of the state government’s commitment to partner the Federal Government to enhance power sector infrastructure and improve supply in the state and country.
The governor said: “I believe we can do better with our power system, but a lot has to do with the Federal Government. If the Federal Government gives us the leeway to do it and with a promise to refund, then we can begin to think of it.
“But we’ll like to work together because we need to get those permission to be able to link these things up, so that we won’t need to get into too much talk after the process. At the end of the day, it will be to the benefit of our people and then to Nigeria.
“Power is something dear to our heart; so the work you are doing needs to be encouraged because without power, we cannot really do anything and the economy cannot move forward.”
He expressed gratitude over the return visit of the senators barely a few weeks after the Senate retreat in the state, noting that the preference of Akwa Ibom for conferences and retreats had put the state on its toes to improve on facilities to retain the confidence of such high profile visitors.
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Eno said: “We are delighted at the increasing interest in our state for conferences, retreats and others. It behoves us to ensure that our facilities continue to be topnotch.”
He described the synergy between the Senate Committee on Power and NERC as healthy for the power sector, saying both arms would be on the same page for enactments and regulatory policies.
Senator Abaribe said they were in the state for a three-day retreat, and expressed satisfaction with the choice of Uyo for the retreat, as against earlier plans for locations outside the country.
He said previous retreats of the body were held in Ghana, Morocco and other locations outside the country, adding that after the last Senate retreat in Akwa Ibom, they realised that Akwa Ibom had quality facilities sufficient for their engagement.
Abaribe hailed Eno for his purposeful leadership and attributed the pace of development in the state to continuum in leadership.