News
FG Summons TCN, IBDC, AEDC, Exempts BEDC Despite Abysmal Power Supply To Edo, Ondo, Delta
Published
2 months agoon
By
EditorMinister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu has summoned chief executive officers of two Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to a meeting to hold in the coming week over worsening supply situations in their regions.
Those invited to the meeting are chief executive officers of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBDC).
Also summoned to the meeting is Mr Sule Abdulazeez, Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The summon is contained in a letter signed by Mr B.U Mustapha, Director, Distribution Services, Ministry of Power.
READ ALSO: Current Constitution Can’t Address Nigeria’s Challenges – Anyaoku
The management of other non-performing distribution companies would also be queried over non-performance as reports continue to filter in on the situation in their regions.
The two DisCos have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions in spite of improved supply from TCN.
Unfortunately, despite summoning these DisCos for power supply, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), whose power supply is one of the poorest in the country was exempted from answering questions in the proposed meeting.
INFO DAILY recalls that the TCN, Benin Region, had during a media chat with newsmen in December 2023, said it generates over 400mw in the region but unfortunately BEDC purchases less than 100mw hence the poor supply to the states the DisCo covers
Mr Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations at the ministry stated on Saturday in Abuja said that gas shortage notwithstanding, electricity generation had been ramped up to more than 4000mw in recent days.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: SSANU, NASU Threaten Strike Over Withheld Salaries
“The ministry expects power supply to have improved across the country, as opposed to current experience in some regions.
“Findings revealed that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking up power supply from TCN, while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions,’’ he stated.
He quoted the minister as saying that wilful non- performance by any DisCo could suffice as reason for severe punishment or outright license revocation.
“The minister also directed TCN to immediately begin repair works on damaged transmission towers and power lines to improve power supply in affected regions,’’ Tunii stated.
He recalled that the minister embarked on supervisory visits to some of the power generating plants in the last few months.
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“He was in Kainji Hydropower Plant which will soon embark on an expansion plan to boost its existing 560mw operational capacity.
“He also visited Benue and Taraba to assess infrastructure being constructed to evacuate an additional 30mw from the Kashimbilla Hydropower Station to the national grid,’’ he stated.
Only 10mw is currently being evacuated from the Kashimbilla Hydropower Station to the national grid.
The minister was also at Olorunshogo and Omotosho thermal plants in Ogun and Ondo states, respectively and was at Ihvobor and Azura power plants in Edo.
During the visits, he assured that the Federal Government planned to pay part of the outstanding debts owed electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) and gas supply companies.
Tunji stated also that with efforts being made there should soon be succour for electricity consumers nationwide.
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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Saturday, urged residents of the state to come out en-masse to perform their civic responsibility in the ongoing Local Government election.
Our correspondent, who monitored the election, observed that eligible voters refused to come out to participate in the ongoing election.
The governor made this appeal while speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote at Ward 1, Unit 11 in the Ibadan North East Local Government Area of the state.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Oyo LG Polls: Hoodlums Attack Electoral Officials, Snatch Ballot Papers [PHOTO]
Makinde reminded them of the need to take part in choosing their leaders.
He, therefore, appealed to residents to come out to exercise their civic responsibilities.
The ongoing local government election is expected to end by 3:pm.
Details later…
News
Late Actor, Junior Pope’s Funeral Arrangement Released
Published
17 mins agoon
April 27, 2024By
EditorThe funeral arrangement of late actor, Junior Pope has been released.
Recall that the actor drowned on April 10 along with four crew members, while travelling by water for filmmaker Adanma Luke’s film “The Other Side of Life”.
According to Junior Pope’s family, the actor will be buried on May 17th at his hometown in Nsukka, Enugu state.
READ ALSO: Currency Manipulation: EFCC Arrests 34 Currency Speculators In Abuja
News
Yahaya Bello: Abuja American School Refunds $760,000 To EFCC
Published
1 hour agoon
April 27, 2024By
EditorThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed the receipt of the refund of $760,000 paid as advanced school fees by a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello for his children at the American International School, Abuja.
The spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development to our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.
“The school has refunded the entire $ 760, 000 to the EFCC’s recovery account,” he said.
Earlier, the American International School of Abuja had asked the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the former governor.
Bello allegedly paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.
READ ALSO: Currency Manipulation: EFCC Arrests 34 Currency Speculators In Abuja
The children are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.
On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly whisked Bello away.
In a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date.”
READ ALSO: EFCC Declares Ex-Kogi gov, Yahaya Bello Wanted
AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.
“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the letter reads.
It added, “Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have been deposited into our bank account.
“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84.
“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”
READ ALSO: EFCC Withdraws Appeal Against Former Kogi Gov, Bello
The school said it would draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.
In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said, “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School.”
The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier revealed that the former governor transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.
Olukoyede revealed this during an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.
“In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?”
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Yahaya Bello: Abuja American School Refunds $760,000 To EFCC
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