Hon. James O. James, Chairman, Opobo/Nkoro LGA.
The people of Iwo-Ama Nkoro in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State may soon be connected to the national electricity grid, following a commitment by the council chairman, Hon. James A. James, to end the community’s prolonged dependence on a faulty local generator.
The proposed connection to the national grid is part of efforts by the James-led administration to provide the ancient satellite community of Nkoro Kingdom with a more sustainable and dependable electricity supply.
For more than nine years, residents of Iwo-Ama Nkoro have lived without electricity after the community’s power generator broke down and was abandoned by successive administrations.
The situation has now changed following the intervention of the council chairman, who repaired and restored the generator, bringing electricity back to the community.
Community leaders and youths have welcomed the development, describing it as a significant step towards reconnecting Iwo-Ama Nkoro with economic activities and improving the quality of life of its residents.
Speaking on the restoration, community leaders, including Alabo Wilson Osokor and Hon. Harry Derrick, commended James for reviving the community’s electricity supply after years of darkness.
They said access to electricity would boost small businesses, improve household activities and provide young people with better opportunities to engage in productive ventures.
The residents, however, appealed to the council to ensure regular provision of diesel to keep the generator running pending the proposed connection to the national grid.
According to the Special Adviser to the Chairman on Media, Bestman Silas Dokubo, connecting Iwo-Ama Nkoro to the national grid would represent a more lasting solution to the community’s electricity challenges.
Dokubo said the chairman’s decision to restore the abandoned generator was only an immediate intervention, while the plan to connect the community to the national grid was aimed at securing a more reliable and sustainable power supply.
He said the administration had also facilitated electrical connections from existing poles to individual homes and provided the community with a modern electrical ladder for emergency repairs and maintenance.
The chairman’s commitment, he added, reflected his administration’s concern for the welfare and development of the people of Iwo-Ama Nkoro.
The planned grid connection is expected to reduce the community’s reliance on generator-powered electricity and provide a stronger foundation for economic development.
For residents who have endured more than nine years of darkness, the prospect of joining the national grid could mark the beginning of a new chapter in the community’s development.
Oruigoni is the Information/Public Relations Officer, Opobo/Nkoro LGA.
This angle makes the national-grid commitment the main news, while presenting the generator restoration as the immediate step towards that larger objective.