EME-ORA RESIDENTS RECEIVE POWER INTERVENTION AS EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER FULFILS EARLIER COMMITMENT TO WARD 3
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Sheriff Agbebaku, has fulfilled his earlier commitment to the people of Ward 3, Eme-Ora, in Owan West Local Government Area, with the donation of a 500KVA electricity transformer to the community.
The intervention comes after growing concerns over the prolonged electricity challenges affecting Eme-Ora and follows an earlier commitment by the Speaker to support efforts to restore power supply to the community.
IBN News had previously reported the electricity crisis in Eme-Ora in a story titled “₦10 Million Spent, Yet Eme-Ora Remains in Darkness as Residents Demand Answers,” which drew public attention to the condition of the community and renewed calls for urgent action.
The issue was also discussed on ITV/Radio Benin’s Man Around Town programme, where Speaker Agbebaku addressed concerns surrounding the electricity situation and disclosed that steps were being taken to provide new transformers for communities in his constituency.
At the time, the Speaker announced that two transformers had been approved for procurement, one for Eme-Ora and another for Uhonmora-Ora.
The latest development now marks a practical step from that earlier promise, with the Speaker announcing the donation of the 500KVA transformer to Ward 3, Eme-Ora.
In a statement reflecting on the intervention, Agbebaku said leadership should not be about making promises but about delivering solutions that have direct impact on the people.
He described electricity as a major requirement for economic activity, education, security and improved living conditions, saying the transformer was an investment in the future of the community.
According to the Speaker, improved electricity supply would benefit artisans, traders and small business owners whose activities depend heavily on regular power.
He also noted that students and families would benefit from better electricity supply, while the community’s overall economic activities could improve once the power challenge is properly addressed.
“This intervention is more than the installation of a transformer; it is an investment in our people,” Agbebaku said.
The Speaker, who represents Owan West Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, also linked the intervention to his commitment to complementing the development agenda of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
He said he remained committed to attracting and supporting projects capable of bringing lasting value to communities across his constituency.
The latest intervention is particularly significant because Eme-Ora had become a major point of discussion following the prolonged blackout and questions raised over previous efforts to restore electricity.
Residents had previously demanded greater transparency over reported expenditure of more than ₦10 million on earlier electricity restoration efforts, arguing that the spending had not produced sustainable electricity for the community.
The current intervention, however, introduces a new phase in the community’s electricity restoration efforts.
In addition to the Speaker’s intervention, Dr. Peter Oriaran-Oris, National President of the Eme Progress Union (EPU), and the Oriaran Family had also donated a 33kV electricity transformer to support efforts to restore electricity to Eme-Ora.
The donation by the EPU President and his family followed renewed calls from residents and community stakeholders for urgent action to end the prolonged blackout.
The combined interventions have increased expectations among residents that the electricity situation in Eme-Ora can finally move towards a lasting solution.
However, the delivery of a transformer is only one part of the process. Proper installation, connection to the electricity network, commissioning, adequate protection and regular maintenance will be necessary to ensure that the intervention delivers the expected result.
Community stakeholders have therefore continued to call for cooperation between government authorities, electricity distribution officials, community leaders and residents to ensure that the equipment is properly installed and protected.
Agbebaku also appealed to residents to protect the transformer from vandalism and ensure that it is properly maintained.
He stressed that the equipment belongs to the community and should be treated as a collective investment that must serve not only the present generation but also those coming after them.
For Eme-Ora, where residents have endured a prolonged period without reliable electricity, the intervention is expected to bring renewed hope and potentially improve commercial activities, security and the quality of life within the community.
The development also provides an opportunity to move the conversation beyond promises and announcements to actual delivery and measurable results.
IBN News understands that residents are now looking forward to the next stage of the process — the installation, connection and eventual restoration of electricity supply.
The community will also be watching closely to ensure that the transformer and other interventions translate into actual power supply rather than becoming another project that remains on paper.
The latest development represents a significant shift from the earlier situation in which Eme-Ora residents were demanding answers over the prolonged blackout and previous electricity spending.
With the Speaker’s 500KVA transformer intervention, alongside the 33kV transformer donated by Dr. Peter Oriaran-Oris and the Oriaran Family, the community now has renewed expectations that the darkness affecting Eme-Ora will soon become a thing of the past.
IBN News will continue to monitor the installation, connection and commissioning of the transformers and report developments to the public.
