The Oyo State Government has faulted recent remarks by the Minister of Power, Chief Bayo Adelabu, describing his statements on power projects in the state as inaccurate and misleading.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Prof. Dahud K. Shangodoyin, the state government said it was necessary to correct what it called a misrepresentation of facts in the interest of the public.
The government clarified that the 11 megawatt Independent Power Project (IPP) was completed and partially operational, noting that about 5MW was successfully commissioned and supplied electricity to critical infrastructure at the Agodi Secretariat for approximately five months during its testing phase.
According to the statement, the project was executed under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), stressing that the state government did not release capital funds for its construction as it was fully financed by private investors. It added that payments made by the government were strictly for electricity consumed during the testing period, not for project execution.
The commissioner further explained that the major challenge encountered was not limited to power generation but distribution expansion, particularly extending supply beyond the Secretariat to areas such as the Bodija–Total Garden axis. He noted that efforts were ongoing with project partners to address the structural and commercial limitations.
On ongoing efforts, the government highlighted progress on the 12MW Ibadan Independent Power (Gas) Project, describing it as a more sustainable and technically advanced initiative.
Shangodoyin said the project had reached an advanced stage, with civil works, generator base infrastructure, and other ancillary facilities nearing completion. He added that transmission infrastructure, including the installation of concrete poles and distribution fittings across key parts of Ibadan, was also progressing steadily.
He explained that the new project is designed to serve not only government facilities but also strategic public institutions, street lighting systems, and wider economic clusters across the state.
The commissioner emphasized that the initiative represents a transition from experimental power supply to a more structured, scalable, and integrated electricity solution for Oyo State.
While welcoming constructive criticism, the state government maintained that such interventions must be based on verified information, insisting that the minister’s comments did not reflect the true situation of power sector developments in the state.
