Oyo Government Counters Adelabu's Claims on State Power Projects
The Oyo State Government has strongly refuted statements made by the Minister of Power, Chief Bayo Adelabu, regarding the status of electricity initiatives within the state. In a recent meeting with the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and other stakeholders, Adelabu accused the state of failing to support federal efforts to provide reliable power to residents.
Minister's Allegations and State's Response
Adelabu claimed that the state's only power project, an 11KV diesel initiative at the Secretariat, was moribund and had never produced energy despite significant funding. He asserted that this undermined the state's right to criticize federal activities, promising visible benefits from federal projects soon.
In a detailed statement, Oyo State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Prof. Dahud K. Shangodoyin, corrected what he termed "misrepresentations." He explained that the 11MW Independent Power Project (IPP) was indeed completed and partially operationalized.
Clarifications on the 11MW Project
Shangodoyin revealed that approximately 5MW of the project was successfully commissioned during a testing phase, supplying electricity to critical government infrastructure at the Agodi Secretariat for about five months. He emphasized that the project operated under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), with no state capital funds released to the contractor.
Key points included:
- Payments were made solely for electricity consumed during testing, not for project execution.
- The limitation was not in generation but in distribution expansion, particularly extending supply to areas like the Bodija–Total Garden axis.
- Ongoing efforts are addressing structural and commercial gaps with project partners.
Progress on New 12MW Gas Project
Shangodoyin outlined the state's energy strategy, highlighting the commencement of a more sustainable 12MW Ibadan Independent Power Gas Project. He reported significant advancements, including:
- Civil works and generator base infrastructure are well underway.
- Transmission infrastructure is progressing, with concrete poles and distribution fittings installed across key parts of Ibadan.
- The project is designed to serve strategic public institutions, street lighting, and expand to wider economic clusters, moving beyond experimental supply to a scalable solution.
Call for Verified Information
The commissioner concluded by welcoming constructive criticism but stressed it must be based on verified facts. He stated that Adelabu's remarks were deficient in accuracy and did not reflect the true developments in Oyo State's power sector.
