Coming on the heels of the approval by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of an electricity license for the Benin Industrial Park (BIP), investors are falling over themselves to snap up juicy lots at the park, located at Iyanomo, near Benin City.
The BIP is a big-ticket project by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State aimed at driving the state government’s industrialization agenda and hosting manufacturing, agro-allied, textile and automobile industries.
Governor Obaseki, at the commissioning of the new 1X60MVA, 132/33KV power transformer in Okpella, Estako East Local Government, disclosed that a Chinese company will be mobilising not less than 20 engineers to the proposed site of the Benin Industrial Park to commence preliminary work.
According to him, “The approval of the license has further prompted a partnership with a Chinese Company that has shown interest to partner with us to develop our industrial park. They are sending 20 engineers to the state next month.”
The visit by the Chinese Engineers follows several other business concerns that have expressed interest in setting up at the site, checks at the state’s Investment Promotion Office, show.
“We have noticed impressive enquiries on the status of the project and the opportunities for investment. I think what is pulling the interest is the assurance that we now have a license for power generation at the site. As you well know, power is one of the major considerations for investment. With the governor’s investment-friendly posture, the assurance of electricity clears the coast for potential investors,” an official at the Investment Promotion Office said.
Mr. Osamudiamen Efosa, who resides in Iyanomo, said that there has been an increase in traffic of people coming to the site of the industrial park with the news that a power license has been approved, noting that the state government’s commitment to the project is remarkable.”
According to him, “Aside from the usual set of people we often see here, we are seeing a new crop of people who have been coming to make enquiries on the status of the project and they are often delighted to see a field office at the site.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Saturday commissioned new power transformers at Okpella substation to boost electricity supply to Edo north, especially in major towns of Auchi, Okpella and Igarra.
The 1x60MVA ,132,33kv power transformer would also service some major towns in Estako, and Akoko Edo local governments.
TCN had also successfully installed 40MVA at Auchi 132, 33kv substation.
The new installation at Okpella was to improve on the old 1x15MVA,132/33Kv substation which had limited capacity to adequately supply electricity to Okpella, BUA cement company, Aghenebode town and environs.
Because of the limitation, TCN awarded the contract for the reinforcement of the substation in 2012 to Messers Power Control and Appliances (PCA) to add 1×60 MVA,13/33kv transformer to increase the quality of supply in the area.
The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), Prof. James Momoh, commissioned the transformer in company of Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo.
He said communities in Edo north had been experiencing poor electricity supply over the years.
He said that this had impacted negatively on the industrial development of the zone and the state in general.
“The villages around here witness low voltage, meaning there is no impact in development, it cannot touch industrialisation that we want because the quality of supply is very low.
“Because we are unable to harness power, industries cannot spring up in Edo, where we have all the vegetation, we have all the minerals.
“The lop-sidedness in supply made it very impossible for distribution to get to our villages.“
He explained that the provision of the new additional power transformer in the substation was for the interest of the Edo people, adding that the Okpella community must maintain and protect the facility.
“It will serve Okpella cement factory, it will serve other people, but we want to make sure we create jobs, we create industries. It will bring relief to our people; it will transform the economy of the state.“
Momoh, who promised to ensure improved power supply in Edo also commended TCN management and its in-house engineers for installing the power transformer.
“TCN engineers have done many installations in the country, they are saving money for Nigeria.“
Responding, Obaseki said that the initiative of TCN had just ignited the starting of industrial revolution in the state.
“We thanked TCN and NERC for what they are doing in the electricity industry.
“The issue of electricity supply was at the front burner during my campaign and you have help up spark up electricity supply via this initiative by increasing the capacity of the substation with over 300 per cent.
He said that the state government would continue to support TCN in the discharge of its duties, especially on resolving the onerous challenge of right of way on transmission lines.
He appealed to NERC to prevail on Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to improve its supply to customers, saying that BEDC was underperforming in the state.
The Managing Director of TCN, Mr Usman Mohammed said that the installation of the 60MVA 132,33kv in Okpella was consistent with the industrial policy of Edo government.
He attributed it to the existence of huge mineral deposits like limestone in the area.
He said that the installation would improve power supply to BUA cement company, Aghenebode town, Igara and many other communities in the state.
According to Mohammed, the installation of the 1x60MVA at Okpella substation will also increase the total wheeling capacity of TCN to 7,124MW.
He said that TCN would soon complete the installation of another 30MVA on the station and re-conduct the Benin, Irua Auchi, Okpella, and Okene 132 substations.
He said that this would enable the optimum use of the capacity being installed on the Okpella station.
“We are adding 100MVA at Irua, 150MVA at Benin, and another 100MVA at Benin transmission station,’’ he said. (NAN)
Strewn across a vast, verdant and undulating landmass in the far northern fringes of Edo State, Okpella is a fascinating topography dotted with an array of mountainous ranges and rolling rocks. The land is rich, with luxuriant vegetation, fertile fields, plains and valleys. Thus, Okpella is noted to be a major producer of very high quality agricultural crops notably plantain, groundnut, garri among others.
Okpella soil is also richly endowed with solid mineral deposits. Fondly regarded as the “Home of Cement”, it is the host of the defunct Edo cement factory and Bua Cement Company Limited, currently under full production. Dangote Group has also just performed a ground breaking ceremony for the establishment of an ultra modern cement factory in Okpella.
In addition to its natural endowments, Okpella Clan is the third most populated community in Edo State, coming only after Benin City and Uromi. This population is made up mainly of dynamic, resourceful and adventurous youths.
The clan is also strategically located. It is one of the major gateways between the North and the Southern part of Nigeria. Thus, Okpella is not only a community with serious mining and other solid minerals exploratory activities, it is also a centre of commerce and a potential industrial nerve centre in Edo State and even in Nigeria at large.
Unfortunately, despite her enormous human and natural endowments, Okpella has remained grossly under-developed. There is high rate of poverty, unemployment and near total absence of social amenities like roads, portable drinking water, good schools, healthcare facilities among others. For example, there is neither a public hospital nor a tertiary institution in Okpella. The Clan has been in abyssal darkness since its electricity was unjustifiably disconnected by Edo Electricity Distribution Company in December, 2017.
On the political front, Okpella which is a key player in the determination of where the pendulum of electoral victory swings in Edo State, has paradoxically remained in the reserve bench of political representation. Communities with lower electoral value continually ride on her back to acquire political power while Okpella sits back to scramble for the crumbs that fall from their vault of political fortune. Apart from Senator Franca Afegbua who was elected into the Senate in 1983, the highest political office any son or daughter of Okpella has ever attained is membership of State House of Assembly.
It is in the light of the foregoing that Okpella Unity and Peace Initiative recently had a conference with the theme “Repositioning Okpella for Growth and Development”. The conference which was well attended by prominent sons and daughters of Okpella from across the country examined the various challenges facing the community and proffered far-reaching recommendations for surmounting these numerous challenges.
In his keynote address at the Conference, Professor Abraham Imogie, a former Honourable Minister for Education and former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, decried the high dearth of infrastructure in Okpella, despite its enormous human and material resources. He pointed out that Okpella has no public hospital, Bank, School with standard learning facilities, no institution of higher learning, no portable drinking water, no electricity supply, no good inter and intra village roads, no standard general market and so on.
He lamented that the mineral deposits with which the clan is endowed are at the whims and caprices of foreigners and non-indigenes of Okpella who exploit the community and give only menial jobs of security, cleaning, clerical duties to the indigenes. Professor Imogie submitted that in order to reposition Okpella for growth and development, there is the need for a leadership that is responsive, revered, wise, respectful, respectable, honest, truthful and visionary. He averred that “community development efforts must always genuinely search for change and explore it as an opportunity to bring growth and development.
Stressing the need for a platform for resolving community disputes as a means of forging unity and peace necessary for the growth and development of Okpella clan, Dr Ayuba Giwa in his paper, on Alternative Disputes Resolution stated that Okpella people are from the same ancestral root and therefore must remain as one. He called for all sons and daughters of Okpella to return to the traditional cultural values of Okpella community. He said that before the advent of colonialism, Okpella people have always had their own way of settling communal disputes through traditional method. He submitted that for the Traditional Institutions to have the required respect, and command followership, the Institutions must be fair, just, neutral and seen to be above board.
Presenting a paper on The Rising Trend Of Insecurity In Okpella, Mr Paul Ofemile averred that the current state of insecurity in the land which manifests in Kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and gansterism, vandalism, youth restiveness among others, are a result of the idleness of the youth, the get rich quick syndrome, the screening of perpetrators of crime by political god-fathers, among others. He stressed that for there to be adequate security in Okpella, all abandoned murder cases in the court of law should be re-opened; parents and siblings of escapee murderers should be banished from the clan, until the culprits are brought to book. He recommended the reinvigoration and strengthening of Okpella vigilante group, with central command and effective policing as a way of effectively dealing with the security situation in the community.
The high point of the conference were presentations made by Honourable Godwin Eshieshi, former chairman Etsako East Local Government Area and Barrister Danco Anamelo, a Senatorial hopeful for Edo North Senatorial District in the forthcoming 2019 General Election. Barrister Anamelo pointed out that Okpella has not been able to leverage its numerical strength to political advantage because most Okpella Politicians are selfish, egoistic and lack community spirit. He noted that for Okpella to reposition itself politically, the people must consciously build broad base unity, foster love and understanding as these are the conditions for peace, progress and sustainable development.
Godwin Eshieshi, who corroborated the views of Anamelo, said Okpella was central in Etsako and Edo politics in the past. He said that during the Second Republic, Okpella was adequately represented in the political affairs of Edo state, under the administration of Professor Ambrose Ali as Governor because Okpella people were united. He submitted that even in 1983, when majority of Okpella people were in the Unity Party of Nigeria, they voted overwhelmingly for Senator Franca Afebua of the National Party of Nigeria who is from Okpella. Tracing the involvement of Okpella in Political affairs in Nigeria from 1944, 1951and 1979, he said that the likes of Chief J.O.Y Abekhe, Chief Jack Oba, Barrister Charles Adoga, senator Franca Afebua and so on were prominent in Edo and Nigerian Politics because Okpella people could speak with one voice. He recommended that for Okpella people to restore its lost glory, they must come together and fight a common front.
The conference, which was well attended by prominent sons and daughters of Okpella from all over Nigeria, adopted a communiqué which formed a blueprint on critical actions to be taken in order for Okpella to regain its lost socio-political glory and reposition itself for sustainable economic development. One of the critical recommendations reached at the conference was that Okpella people must all come together and push for Sunday Dance Anomale and Mr. Abu Abdulganiyu who are currently vying for Senatorial and Edo State House of Assembly seats respectively.
Okpella and Urhonigbe communities are located far apart in Estako East in Edo North and Orhionmwon in Edo South respectively. They are communities that housed vital companies in the state. Okpella is home to BUA cement factory because its huge limestone and mineral deposits. There are other small cottage mining firms located in Okpella.
Urhonigbe has the largest rubber plantation and a huge forest reserves. A new firm managing the rubber plantation, the Rubber Estate Nigeria Limited is investing about N5.1billion to boost rubber production in the country. The firm has planted new rubber plants.
Both communities however have something in common. They don’t have electricity supply. Both communities are in absolute darkness as the Bénin Electricity Distribution Company has since disconnected them over huge debt.
The non-availability of electricity has crippled business activities in both communities that the residents have to pay to charge their phones at business premises using generator.
Okpella has been without electricity since December 2017. Management of the BEDC cut the community off over alleged N170m debt. It was gathered that after an initial imbroglio over non-payment of electricity bills, the community leaders and BEDC management entered agreement for the community to be paying N21m monthly for power supply.
In Urhonigbe, the situation is worsen as the community was cut off for over six years. Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the community was connected but disconnected after the elections over non-payment of electricity bills.
A resident in Urhonigbe who gave his name as Osaigbovo said the BEDC is asking them to pay the sum of N30m and it is difficult for them to raise money.
Managing Director of BEDC, Funke Osibodu, told reporters in Bénin City that the firm expected communities to pay for electricity consumed.
Osibodu explained that representatives of Okpella community brought a N7 million cheque issued by BUA cement instead of N21m agreed to be paid monthly. She stated that the monthly N7m payment continued until the balance bill rose to N170m.
According to her, “No customer in Okpella wants to pay electricity bills. They depend solely on BUA Cement. We cannot continue to them power when they have not paid for the power consumed.
For Urhonigbe, She explained that the then Governor assisted to connect the community but members of the refused to pay bills.
“When we give you power, you must pay. If you owe bills, naturally you don’t have power.”
But a resident of Okpella, Magnus Philip, said the continuing perpetual darkness in Okpella since 16th December 2017 was alarming and a call for every sons and daughters to wake up to their responsibility.
According to him, “It is hard time. We have to challenge it. So many businesses have been crashed down due to this singular act of impunity. How long are we going to sit down watching our light gradually disappearing like a vapor? “
EDO State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has assured the people of the state that the abandoned fertilizer plant at Auchi would be up and running in the next three months, creating the first set of employments for the people.
Obaseki made the promise while speaking with Journalists shortly after he made an onthe- spot assessment visit to the site of the plant.
The governor, who was accompanied during the visit by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund, along with other investors, said: “Well, as you can see for yourselves, this is the type of industry they said they built for us when they said they were going to industrialize Edo. “We have come with some investors, Mr. Uche Orji is the Managing Director of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Funds and you know that they have a programme for fertilizer and agriculture in the country.
“So, we have brought them to come and see this facility and to see what we can do to reactivate it; that is the purpose of our being here.” Speaking further, the governor said “depending on how quickly we can move with investors; we have some interests from the private sector who understand the fertilizer business and we will get them to come and invest with us.
From the positive indications, we believe that we can get this factory running before April.’’ Also speaking, Orji lamented the loss of billions of naira by the state over years, saying, “with this type of facilities in the state, Edo State has been missing lots of opportunities with a factory like this.’’
The paramount ruler of Okpella in Edo State, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella Kingdom, Alhaji Yesufu Dirisu has reassured youths of the community that the decision of Dangote Group to build a cement plant in the community was on course. He dismissed rumours of threats from the community to the investment.
The Okuokpellagbe gave the assurance at the weekend while addressing youths and members of the Okpella kingdom who stormed his palace to show their displeasure with news making the rounds that indigenes of the community were not favourably disposed to the firm’s plan.
Dispalying placards with various inscriptions such as “Dangote is a blessing to Okpella Community”; “Come, Dangote come”; “Youths welcome Dangote”, the protesters said they were at the palace to show solidarity with Dangote in the wake of perceived uncertainties over his decision to invest in the community.
Representative of Okpella Youth Mr. Kadiri Christopher, said: “History has been made today, particularly on the side of the youths because there were uncertainties about Dangote investing in our community. But today, the youths are saying we are behind Dangote 100 per cent. We are not cursed; we want development in our community.”
Alhaji Dirisu said the action of the youths had created an opportunity for the world to see the community appreciating the good news from Dangote Group.
“We want to tell the world that Dangote Group is very much welcome to Okpella to do his business, and to say that every support that he will need from time to time, he will get at all times.”
Former Chairman of Esako East Local Government Area Godwin Eshieshie also assured the firm of peace, security and concord.
“There will be no security threat to Dangote anytime he comes. Take the message back that there is no threat of any nature to hinder Dangote’s investment in our community. Okpella is more than glad for this kind of investment because we know it is the number one international investor in Africa and we hope to see him soon.”
Dangote Cement is constructing a three million metric tones cement plant in Okpella, Edo State. The green field plant is worth $500 million and is to manufacture the quality cement the company is associated with.
Crisis is brewing in hitherto peaceful Okpella community in Estako East Local Government Area of Edo State as Komunio, one the clans that make up the community, is at daggers drawn with the monarch, Okuokpellagbe, and other clans.
The battle may not be unconnected with the huge mineral deposits in the community, as it was gathered that some influential leaders of Komunio, also known as Afokpella, are on a mission to excise the clan from Okpella, in a move for their people to gain unfettered control of their resources.
A source said: “The revitalisation of the Okpella Cement Factory under the ownership of the BUA Group and other economic interests appeared to have triggered recent demand for autonomy by the Komunio clan as the company is located in the clan.”
It was further learnt that the agitation for autonomy by the Afokpellas is coming at a time Okpella community is locked in a battle with its neighbors in Kogi State over ownership of a large parcel of land with huge limestone and other mineral deposit.
The growing tension escalated recently when the President of Komunio Community, Chief Charles Adogah, authored a letter dated 24 July to the Chairman, BUA Cement Company Limited, hinting of the community’s move for autonomy.
Adogah told the company that his clan had decided to indefinitely boycott activities at palace of the Okpella monarch, Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, HRH Andrew Yusuf Dirisu, citing perceived high-handedness, tyranny, and injustice.
He asked the company not to transact any business whatsoever with the Okpella monarch on any matter that concerned the Komunio community and reminded the company that the parcel of land where the company is currently located and the minerals therein form part of the landed property of Komunio community.
It was gathered that those leading the agitation by Komunio clan included Chief Adogah (SAN), Dr Ayuba Giwa, Philip Magnus, a community leader and Messrs Edward Sado and Anthony Usman, both of whom are lawyers.
Our findings revealed that trouble started on June 16 when the traditional ruler summoned a meeting of the Okpella Traditional Council based on series of petitions from Ogiriga community that it wants to be a clan of its own and not under the Komunio community.
It was also alleged by elders of the Komunio community who were at the meeting that a hidden agenda of HRH Dirisu was to dissolve the Komunio Ruling House and make part of Komunio an annex of the Imiegiele Okashie quarters so that no others parts would form part of the Ogiriga and Iddo sub-clan/ruling house.
Chief Adogah, Dr. Ayuba, Sadoh and Usman wrote a strong-worded letter to the monarch accusing him of plotting to dislodge them from the place they have occupied for over 300 years.
They reminded the monarch that the same gazette legal notice, which recognised his position as Clan head or Paramount Chief of Okpella equally recognised the Komunio Ruling House of the Oteku Sub-clan of Okpella clan.
The letter reads: “No law or rule of law vests jurisdiction in you to decapitate Okpella, eliminate kindred and or villages or sub-clans or ruling houses that you hate and add more to your own village or any other for the purpose of “divide and rule” or to ignite inter-kindred conflicts.
“No law or rule of law vest in you or any Clan head of Okpella as at today in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, any jurisdiction to make any declaration of the title to land as you have purported to do in favour of your own kindred and others or at all, certainly not after more than 300years of our ownership and occupation of the said land area.
“We have hitherto believed that the unity and peaceful coexistence of Okpella was one of your primary responsibilities and not its economic exploitation and despoliation, which is the only reason you are attempting this patent lawlessness and illegality after all the assistance we have personally rendered to you to assist in the maintenance of peace in our beloved clan.
“We shall make a report of this lawlessness and caprice to the Government of Edo state that made the legal notice under reference so that they can be forewarned of your moves to cause significant and serious security breaches and challenges for the State where none currently exists,” the letter added.
The monarch was accused of deliberately increasing the number of villages in Okpella from seven he inherited in 1971 to 120. This action, they argued, made Okpella too large to be under the leadership of one traditional ruler.
In his response to the letter from the lawyers, HRH Dirisu explained that no final decision on the issue raised at the meeting was reached regarding the dissolution or annexation of any part of Okpella and described it as the figment of the imagination of the authors.
He said: “The Palace expresses dismay at the language of your letter and content on issue which it is displaying every act and diplomacy at its disposal in resolving. More painful is the fact that you are all gentlemen who have unfettered access to the palace from which you could have obtained the facts of the matter.
“The substance of the matter is that there were petitions from Ogiriga Community regarding their continued grouping under Ukhomunyo. As these were continuing unabated and increasingly provocative, the Palace summoned the Okpella Traditional Council to discuss and evaluate the issues raised at its meeting held on 16th June 2015. No decision was arrived at that meeting regarding the dissolution or annexation of any part of Okpella. It is the figment of the imagination of the authors.
“The Palace is undeterred by the very strong unwarranted and unjustifiable vituperations and threat in the tone of your letter. It will continue in its efforts and endeavors in ensuring the unity and co-existence of our clans.”
It was learnt that another meeting slated for June 27 was boycotted by Komunio clan. Sadoh explained that they viewed it as a matter beyond the legal competence of Okpella Traditional Council.
He stated that it is now a matter within the exclusive competence of the Edo State Executive Council and the legislature.
Afegbua
Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Media and Public Affairs, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who hails from the community, said nobody can redraw the map of Okpella. He accused the Komunios of seeking autonomy for economic reasons.
Prince Afegbua stated that the Komunio clan earlier kicked against agitation by his ruling house for the creation of more clans for more political and economic patronage.
He said some companies left Okpella because of economic agitation which he noted left many youths jobless.
According to him, “Are they conducting a plebiscite or are they going to rewrite the history of Okpella? I am surprised that a particular community wants to pull out. Are they going to use caterpillar to uproot their houses? Are they saying they are no longer under the political leadership of the king? If they want to take such measure, there are procedures in law to take such measures. I expect that as we are moving forward, people should be talking about how to move community forward and not issues of clannish and ethnic sentiments. It should not be the driving force in promoting communal prosperity.”
Dr. Ayuba, who faulted Afegbua ‘s claim, said the battle for the Komunio clan land was because of the huge mineral deposit therein not found in other clans. He said their agitation was to free them from oppression and further incursion on their ancestral land.
When contacted on phone, HRH Dirisu said he traveled out of the country and described the agitators as his subjects whom he would not join issues with on the pages of newspapers.
The Federal Government, at the weekend, said the Okpella water scheme in Edo State is an ongoing project.
Edostate government last week accused the Federal Ministry of Water Resources of siphoning the N800 million meant for the project.
The ministr’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Istifanus Musa, in a statement in Abuja, said the water scheme had not been complted because of insufficient funds.
He explained that the water scheme was listed among projects documented by the ministry at the inception of the Goodluck Jonathan administration for completion.
The project was initially awarded by the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) in 1998 and later transferred to the ministry after the winding down of the PTF in 2000.
He said: “The contract was initially awarded for N321,190,848.41,advance payment made by PTF was N157,860,865.74, certified works by PTF (supply of pipes and fittings) was N262,458,447.76 and the liabilities inherited by the Ministry was N104,597,582.04 . The Ministry has so far paid N60,000,000 .00.
“The ministry under took nationwide assessment of several abandoned project in the water sector, includng the Okpella Water Supply Project, which was estimated to cost N800,000,000 and documented them properly for completion by the Federal Government.
“The project was later reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to N789,934,486.00 in the 2011 to ensure its completion. However, due to funding constraints, the project was only provided for in the appropriation for 2012-2014 with the total releases of and payment of N60,000,000 only in 2012 and 2014.”
