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THE NATION FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2013

NIGER DELTA REPORT

Ogwashi-Uku…a town of giants with ‘gigantic’ problems

•Dr. Okonjo-Iweala

•Okocha

•Uwaechue

It is the home of notable Nigerians like Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and ex-Super Eagles star Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, but Ogwashi-Uku faces major challenges, which residents say need urgent attention, writes OLISANYEM IFEAJIKA

GWASHI-Uku, a town with not less than 27,000 inhabitants, is the headquarters of Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. The ancient community was also the headquarters of Aniocha Division in the defunct Bendel and Midwest states. The town then had administrative jurisdiction over Asaba, Issele-Uku, Ibusa, Akwkwu-Igbo, OnichaUgbo and many other communities in the neighbourhood. Political analysts believe that Ogwashi-Uku has contributed a lot of human resources to the country’s development, both at the federal and state levels. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Finance, Chief Ralph Uwaechue, former minister and ambassador, and the late Dr Emmanuel Osamor, a former Minister of Police Affairs, hail from the community. The list appears endless. In the defunct Bendel State, an indigene of Ogwashi-Uku, the late Mr Isaac Okonjo was Secretary to the State Government, while his compatriots, Azuka Obichie, Charles Okolo and John Iwowo, among others, were commissioners. However, some residents of the community, which has also produced famous footballers such as Austin “Jay Jay’’ Okocha and the

late Victor Oduah, claim that the town has nothing to show in terms of infrastructural development. They noted that the community has not been getting regular power supply in the last one year, resulting in excessive use of generators across the town. Narrating the residents’ ordeal, Chukwudi Nwandu, a primary school teacher, said the Azungwu area of the town, where he was living, had been without electricity for over 11 months. Corroborating his claims, Jude Ilom, a motorcycle repairer, and Miss Nkem Obianaba, a teacher, said they could not remember the last time they enjoyed power supply. A cold room operator, Ignatius Okobi, said he and his colleagues in the business had no other option than to venture into other lines of business since it had become extremely difficult for them to operate cold rooms with power generators. He noted that several enterprises in Ogwashi-Uku, which depended on electricity supply, had been forced to close down because of their inability to cope with high costs of production. Okobi said the situation had forced many artisans, including welders, air conditioner and refrigerator repairers, tailors, barbers and

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They give us light at times but the problem is that it is not regular; in a month, we may have electricity for about eight days altogether

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computer operators, among others, to relocate from the community. Emmanuel Okafor, the President General of Ogwashi-Uku Develop-

ment Union, conceded that the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) had not been supplying power to the town regularly. He rejected claims that the community had been without electricity supply for about a year. “They give us light at times but the problem is that it is not regular; in a month, we may have electricity for about eight days altogether,’’ he said. Nwakamma Okafor, a retired civil servant, recalled that he once led a 17-member delegation to PHCN’s zonal office in Benin about three months ago to discuss the power supply problems. He said the PHCN officials admitted that power supply was generally poor around the country, adding that they, nonetheless, pledged that something would be done to improve electricity supply to the community. Okafor added that the officials assured them that they would work out plans on how to supply electricity to the community at least three days in a week. He said due to the irregular power supply to the community, he spent about N1, 000 every day on fuel to power the generator in his house. Emperor Ijenwa, a taxi driver, rejected the notion that the community was experiencing a total power

failure, insisting that the electricity supply was just epileptic. Mrs Esther Okolie, PHCN’s Public Relations Manager in Asaba, who acknowledged the power supply challenges facing residents of Ogwashi-Uku, said irregular electricity supply was a general problem. She said Ogwashi-Uku area alone needed about 105 megawatts of electricity, while only 22 megawatts were available for distribution among all the customers, including government and public offices. “The situation is so bad and people are bound to complain; their complaints are genuine but I must appeal to our customers in this area to be patient with us. “Let us pray that the 33 KVA step-down transformer on Ibusa Road will be completed and operational before the end of this year or early next year,’’ she said. The residents of Ogwashi-Uku and other towns in the area have been appealing to all the relevant authorities to ensure regular power supply to the neighbourhood. Analysts urged the Federal Government to carry out pragmatic reforms in the power sector to improve the power supply situation across the country. • Ifeajika is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

We need more scholarships from our lawmakers, say Bayelsa students

ORTY-six students, who benefitted from a scholarship scheme sponsored by Senator Clever Ikisikpo Educational Foundation, turned Oliver Twist in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, when they asked for more sponsorship. Some of the students asked their lawmakers to imitate the senator’s gesture by floating more scholarship schemes. Ikisikpo represents Bayelsa East Senatorial District. Since 1999, the year he was elected into the state House of Assembly, his foundation has offered scholarships yearly to se-

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

lected students in tertiary institutions. Before he was elevated to the Senate, Ikisikpo’s foundation had restricted the gesture to only students from Ogbia, the Local Government Area of President Goodluck Jonathan. But the foundation later expanded it to include students from Brass and Nembe in the spirits of his new position. Every year, students sit for the scholarship examination and persons who qualify are offered financial incentives.

This year, 250 undergraduates sat for the examination but only 46 persons passed. The successful students hailed the senator when they gathered at the Ogbia Brotherhood Hall on Saturday to receive their awards. They described the senator’s decision to support their education as the best gift “from a lawmaker to youths from the Niger Delta”. They asked other lawmakers to engage in capacity building programmes for youths in the region. They urged the senator not to relent in his service to God and humanity. “We appreciate what the senator

is doing for students every year. It has gone a long way to lift the financial burdens on our parents. “With this scholarship, I feel motivated to study harder and make this region proud. But we want other politicians to imitate the senator,” one of the beneficiaries, Joseph Barakumo, said. The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Allison Oguru, who was at the occasion, appealed to politicians to emulate the gesture of Ikisikpo. He described the scheme as “the best gift one can offer a whole generation”.

The Chief Examiner of the foundation, Prof. Alfred Ockiya, appealed to other politicians to invest in the education of people from their constituencies. Ikisikpo, who presented cheques to the students, said the scholarship would be extended to postgraduate students from next year. He said the foundation was also working to establish entrepreneurial scheme for fresh graduates in the senatorial district. Ikisikpo also presented cheques to old beneficiaries of the foundation.