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Coal-rich Ankpa in darkness as Kogi lawmaker demands swift power restoration

The Kogi State House of Assembly has urged the state government to urgently intervene in the lingering power crisis that has plunged Ankpa Local Government Area into darkness for over a year.

Raising the motion during plenary on Friday, August 1, in Lokoja, Hon. Lawal Akus, member representing Ankpa 1 State Constituency, lamented the dire consequences of the blackout on residents of the coal-rich community.

“Ankpa has been in total blackout for over one year, a persistent crisis that represents a serious developmental setback with grave implications for education, healthcare, commerce, and public safety,” he said.

Akus noted that Ankpa, regarded as the commercial hub of Kogi East, previously received electricity via a 33kV line from Otukpo, Benue State.

Incessant power collapse

However, the line failed due to overload, also serving Omala and Olamaboro LGAs. A proposed alternative route from Ajaokuta via Anyigba had shown promise, with temporary improvements seen in 2022 and 2023 in partnership with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), but the supply again collapsed.

“The lack of electricity has caused immense hardship to residents and resulted in crippling losses for small businesses, public institutions, health facilities, and security operations,” Akus said, urging the Ministry of Rural Development to partner with AEDC to replace damaged infrastructure and fast-track the installation of transformers and armoured cables.

He also appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to engage the Niger Delta Power Holding Company for the speedy completion of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) in Ankpa, which includes two 7.5MVA injection substations nearing completion.

The motion received widespread support from members, including Hon. Alewo Ujah Anthony (Olamaboro), who called for Olamaboro’s inclusion, and Hon. Jibrin Abu (Ajaokuta), who warned of the "untold hardship" facing hospitals dependent on electricity.

Speaker Rt. Hon. Umar Aliyu echoed the concerns and charged the executive to act swiftly.

The House unanimously adopted the motion and directed the Clerk to communicate the resolutions to relevant authorities.

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