Residents of Ile-Ife, Ajebandele, Garage-Olode, Ifetedo, Ajebandele, and others neighbouring communities were elated yesterday as the Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, flagged off the construction of 33KV power supply.

The power project intervention is coming after 10 years of power outage in the affected areas.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at Garage-Olode, Ife-South Local Government Area, Oyetola said the project occupied a strategic place in his administration’s agenda to empower the benefiting communities to contribute substantially to the state’s growth.

He said his government has been working closely with Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to ensure quick and prompt delivery of the project.

Oyetola said: “As I promised during my electoral campaign and the ‘Thank you Tour’, I am irrevocably committed to uplifting the socio-economic life of our citizens. This is what we have illustrated through the execution of this important project, focusing on the extension of the 33KV power supply line from Ajebandele Ile-Ife to Garage-Olode (Awolowo town) and by extension, Ifetedo.

“It will also power towns and villages such as Iyanfoworogi, Aye Coker, Aye-Oba, Wanikin Eleja, Egbejoda, Idi Obi and Ali Ahanran in this first phase. When completed, the project will cover the entire Ife South Local Government and the LCDA.

“Ifetedo currently experiences epileptic electricity supply. We, therefore, envisage that there might be problems in the future; hence, we want to link Ifetedo to the line under construction.

“The old electricity supply approach under the Benin Electricity Company meant that the Olode community and environs were not prioritised in the distribution of electricity, as power had to be supplied to Ondo, Ile Oluji, Oke-Ogbo before reaching Ifetedo.

The Executive Director (Networks), Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Ife-Oluwa Oyedele, lauded the governor for continually taking the welfare and general wellbeing of the people as his topmost priority.

The Olubosin of Ifetedo, Oba Akinola Akinrera, and the Olu of Olode, Oba David Omisore, expressed their profound gratitude to the Oyinlola for taking their subjects out of protracted darkness that had paralysed the socio-economic activities of the areas in the last 10 years.