Precious Anga
Lagos — Stakeholders in Bayelsa State have called for legislative backing for the state’s 60-megawatt gas turbine power project and other critical electricity infrastructure to ensure their continuity and expansion beyond successive administrations.
The call was made at a special South-South Re-Awakening Group, SSRG, roundtable in Yenagoa to mark Bayelsa’s 30th anniversary, where energy experts, financial advisers, captains of industry, academics, development experts, policymakers and media professionals discussed the state’s electricity and economic development prospects.
The stakeholders also urged the state government to expand the existing 60MW facility to extend reliable electricity supply across the state and support industrial and commercial activities.
The host and convener of the SSRG, Joseph Ambakederimo, commended the state government for establishing the gas turbine but said Bayelsa needed a long-term plan to build a sustainable 24-hour power economy.
He said electricity remained central to industrialisation and economic growth, urging the state to use its 30th anniversary to develop a clear strategy for power infrastructure and industrial development over the next three decades.
“Without power, you cannot industrialise. Power is everything,” Ambakederimo said, stressing that more work was required to maximise Bayelsa’s energy resources and translate them into broader economic development.
He said the SSRG roundtable was designed to promote dialogue, collaboration and practical action around the economic transformation of the South-South region, particularly opportunities created by decentralised energy systems.
Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, also described reliable electricity as a foundation for industrialisation and economic expansion, while urging businesses and residents to maximise the opportunities created by improved power supply.
He said the state’s 60MW gas turbine could support 24-hour electricity supply and help businesses increase production and output.
The Managing Director of Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, however, stressed that generation alone would not guarantee reliable electricity without adequate transmission and distribution infrastructure.
“The power system, particularly generation, is only as strong as its weakest link,” Kemenanabo said, stressing the need for coordinated investment across the electricity value chain.
The Director-General of the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency, Dr Rosalyn Dressman, said the agency was working to sustain improvements in electricity supply while addressing consumer complaints.
She identified vandalism of transformers as one of the major weaknesses in the distribution network and said the agency was working towards extending electricity distribution to all residents of Yenagoa by the end of the year.
In its communique, the roundtable called for policy consistency, legislative protection for critical energy infrastructure, the establishment of a specialised task force to tackle vandalism and expansion of the state’s 60MW power system.
The event also featured a panel discussion on emerging opportunities across Bayelsa’s electricity value chain, moderated by veteran journalist Daniel Abia.
