OPINION
FGN: THE URHOBO ETHNIC NATIONALITY AND NEED FOR STEADY/FREE ELECTRICITY IN NIGERIA BY ATAKE O.J
The Utorogu gas plant and other places dotted with natural gas across Urhobo land are the sources of power generation in Nigeria. In fact, with Delta 1-4 gas fired thermal electricity station at Ughelli since 1966 & and Ogorode Power Station in Sapele since 1978, the latter was merely stepped down for consumers in 2007.
With all these in Urhobo land, we are suppose to enjoy perpetual electricity if not free, but at a subsidized rate all over Urhobo land. One should not be oblivious of the numerous oil wells in 15 oil fields beside the natural gas deposits that dot Urhobo land.
The UPU and the various major and sub groups should kindly include in their various engagements with the Federal and state governments, as well as the oil companies, remember to table as urgent, the need for Urhobo land to enjoy the benefit of steady electricity. At Aboh and Ndoni(boundary BTW Delta & Rivers) in Ndokwa East LGA of Delta State, there are communities already benefitting & enjoying steady & free power supply with their status of host communities.
Furthermore, all the host communities to the DAMS in Northern Nigeria, which are sources of power generation, do enjoy steady & free or subsidized electricity. The benefit of steady & free or subsidized electricity in Urhobo land is multidimensional: printing press, welders, bakers, machinists, milling & grinding factories, tailors and other artisans would perform optimally. The owners of cold rooms and other merchants engaged in storage businesses would steadily be in business. Owners breweries & related businesses would steadily thrive in their endeavors.
This will obviously allow for employment and consequently taking unemployed individuals off the streets of Urhobo land. Criminality will be reduced, social vices such as scamming, prostituting for money, arbitrary opening of worship centres and shrines for the purpose of duping innocent individuals would be reduced. It is negation of the Nigerian government social contract with Urhobo people to not have electricity at all, not to talk of paying for that same power being generated from their land. The Urhobo ethnic nationality produces crude that runs the economy, and natural that powers electricity for the while of Nigeria.
The Federal and State governments are in a better position to know that a stitch in time saves nine. The oil companies should include in their corporate social responsibility schedule the need to generate power for any host community and their environs. Special Assistant on Social Media to President Buhari, please use your good office to relate our age long challenge to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari.
Long live Urhobo Ethnic Nationality, Long live Delta State, Long live Nigeria!
Atake, a lecturer and public affairs analyst writes from Warri
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