There were signs Wednesday of fresh trouble for President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 reelection bid from the South East as Igboezue Cultural Association has berated him over the non-commissioning of the Geometric Power Plant at Osisioma-Ngwa, Abia state.
The project popularly called “Alaoji Power Plant” is the only completed Private, Public Partnership (PPP)power project completed over a year ago that is yet to be commissioned or made available for public use.
Igboezue which spoke through its founder, Chief Chekwas Okorie, described the non-commissioning as “the worst form of marginalisation of Ndigbo in recent times”.
Okorie, in a statement wondered why President Jonathan, whom Ndigbo voted massively for in the last presidential election, would allow the level of degrading of the psyche of Ndigbo by not putting to use, the power plant which was completed over a year ago by the Geometric Power Company Ltd.
He also expressed dissatisfaction over the decrepit state of federal roads in the south east, particularly the Enugu – Port Harcourt and Enugu – Onitsha expressways, stressing that rather than show commitment on getting the roads reconstructed, government was playing politics and deceiving people, while several people die daily on these roads.
The body wondered why Ndigbo should again trust and vote for Jonathan since he could allow several industries in the south east and Aba in particular to be shut down due to non-putting to use of the Power Plant and non-repair of the roads.
Said Chief Okorie: “The case of the non-commissioning of the Osisioma Power Plant covering Aba/Ariaria Business District is an intriguing executive action that bothers on callousness, insensitivity and extreme marginalization taken too far.
“We are aware that the PDP Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo concessioned the Osisioma Power Project to Geometrics Power Plant. This project covers 9 Local Government Areas in Abia State, otherwise referred to as Aba/Ariaria Business District.
“Geometrics with dedication and commitment to make its contribution to the solution to the nagging electricity supply in Nigeria embarked on the project without delay. They invited technical partners and raised necessary funds from financial institutions to execute the laudable project. The completed project was to be commissioned for electricity supply to the area in October 2013.
“The general public, especially the enterprising and long-suffering business men and women who live and do their businesses in the area under reference waited and prayed for the day they would begin to enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply year in year out but this day is yet to come as a result of mindless and most unpatriotic political intrigue that has been playing out under the very watch of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the apostle of Transformation Agenda.
“We are aware that at the completion of the Osisioma Power Project, various investors had sunk over $500,000,000.00 and for the over one year the completed project had remained dormant, Geometrics has been incurring interest cost of the fund borrowed to the tune of about $3,000,000.00 every month.
“We are also aware that contrary to the agreement entered into by Geometrics and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) representing the Federal Government of Nigeria, a new set of greedy, wicked and selfish persons in high places halted the commissioning of the Power Plant and proceeded to concessioning the whole of the South East to a new company, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC, in a very spurious and dubious privatization arrangement that has the implication of transferring the huge investment of Geometrics to the new company (Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC.)”.
He wondered why the entreaties made by Ndigbo Lagos, led by Prof. Anya O. Anya and another group of eminent Igbo leaders, mostly of the PDP extraction, led by Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Garry Enwo-Igariwey, to President Jonathan, failed to yield any positive result.
“Igbo people have come under all manner of unimaginable political intrigues and unconscionable manipulations by successive Nigerian governments since the end of the Nigeria-Biafra War to halt the development of the South East geopolitical zone.
“Even when the people in their indomitable spirit of self-help work extra hard to develop their area, government will find one reason or the other to sabotage such initiative that ought to receive commendation by a government that claims to be dedicated to the transformation of Nigeria.
“Our people wonder whether Ndigbo are included in President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda or rather victims of deliberate official Transgression Programme.
“There is no doubt that the purpose of frustrating Geometrics in this unprovoked manner is to discourage other foreign and local investors from embarking on projects that will place the South East geopolitical zone on the part of growth which may have the effect of attracting its numerous entrepreneurs back home, to actively participate in developing their States of origin,” the body stressed.
They urged President Jonathan to “exercise his inherent prerogatives and special dispensation” to order the commissioning of the power plant, adding that “the political consequences of continuing to treat anything that is dear to Ndigbo as if the war has not ended is too grave to be overlooked by a President that would soon be canvassing for the votes of Igbo people to continue in office for a Second Term”.
