Edo NUJ Raises Alarm Over Continuous Shortage Of Gas Supply To Ossiomo Power Plant
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Edo State Council has raised alarm over the continue disruption of Ossiomo Power Plant and appealed to Federal and Edo State governments, the national security institutions and all other relevant stakeholders to call the Nigeria Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) to order.
The Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ESERC) has earlier informed it’s principals and customers the frequent unscheduled outage the commission is experiencing as a result of low gas supply at Ossiomo Power Plant by NGMC, therefore apologized and regrets any inconveniences the interruption may have caused its esteemed principals and customers.
The State chairman of NUJ, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, has called for a respite from the Nigeria Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) to the operation of the Edo State Government owned Ossiomo Power.
He asserted that since May 2022, the Nigeria Gas Marketing Company forcefully took over the gas plant that was built by Ossiomo Power at its site at the Ossiomo Industrial Plant, Ologbo, Edo State.
According to Alenkhe, “by this action they are disrupting the flow of gas to power the plant and thus sabotaging the services of Ossiomo to its customers.
“All journalists in Edo State are directly affected by this unpatriotic action of the NGMC because the NUJ is a commercial customer of Ossiomo Power because they supply power to the NUJ Secretariat, enhancing the productivity of all journalists in Edo State
“We want to note that the action of the NGMC in Edo State is similar to what Kogi State is doing to Dangote’s Obajana Cement Plant; killing business, discouraging the private sector and undermining national security because numerous customers of Ossiomo Power cannot understand why NGMC will be so bent on stopping the regular supply of power which they have become accustomed to.
“We warn that their actions may lead to unrest in Edo Communities at this time when the country is in a transitory process with the general elections scheduled for February next year.”
