Minister of Power, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu, has assured residents of Ogbomoso and its environs that the long-awaited 132kV power substation in the area will soon be completed and made operational.
Adelabu gave the assurance on Thursday while responding to questions from journalists at the 60th remembrance anniversary of the late Premier of the former Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.
Recall that the Soun of ogbomoso Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye during his visit to president Bola Tinubu appealed to him particularly complete certain Federal Government abandoned projects in Ogbomoso such as the 132KV power sub-station and others
The minister disclosed that funding for the completion of the project has been approved by the Federal Government, adding that the contractor will be mobilised to site for the completion of the outstanding works.
“I have personally visited the site and assured Kabiyesi during my visit to the palace that the substation will start functioning soon. That is exactly what is going to happen because we are already working on it and others ” Adelabu said.
He explained that the substation will be connected to a high-tension transmission line from Ganmo in Kwara State, noting that construction work has commenced, with about 26 kilometres of the transmission line left to be completed.
According to him, the remaining task involves connecting the 132kV transmission line to the Ganmo 330kV/132kV/33kV transmission station. Ganmo, a community near Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, is approximately 59 kilometres from Ajeja/Temidire axis, where erection of transmission towers had earlier been partially executed before the project was abandoned.
The minister assured that with the project now approved, the contractor would return to site any moment to complete the outstanding works.
Adelabu also hinted that the Ikere Gorge Dam, which has remained largely abandoned since 1976, will soon be put to proper use by the Federal Government.
He expressed optimism that the completion of the substation and other power infrastructure projects would significantly improve electricity supply to Ogbomoso and surrounding communities.
