Rising from daily frustration stemming from use of diesel generating power sources, the Nnewi Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NCCIMA) has appealed to the Federal Government for the completion of on-going power transmission station at Otolo, Nnewi, Anambra State.
Explaining the predicaments of manufacturers who are members of NCCIMA during the recent tour of the industrial town by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, President of the group, Engineer Linus Ilozue said, “Nnewi’s power demand is about 45 megawatts, but sadly less than one third of this is supplied at a very irregular manner”.
“As a result of this, industries and commercial establishments operate solely on generators. Many industrial machines cannot stand frequent power outages, thereby making the companies to source several generators that work in shifts to power their products at highly prohibitive costs, and this burden which is passed to the consumers will be recovered if there is improvement in public power supply.”
The NCCMA President therefore called for urgent action from the federal government in completing the on-going power project.
“The power transmission if completed will produce six 33kv feeders that will supply Nnewi and even the surrounding towns. Presently, there is only one old ill-maintained 33kv feeder supplying electric power to the whole of Nnewi, and that’s why there is constant epileptic power supply.
Two other power projects – Ihiala/Nnewi 330kv double circuit transmission and Onitsha-Oba-Nnewi-Ideato-Okigwe 132kv double circuit transmission are other alternatives that will make Nnewi substation working.
“What is needed is to turn in these Feeders to power Nnewi substation, enroute to national grid from Onitsha transmission line.”
Ilozue further appealed for the reconstruction of Nnewi- Ozubulu- Okija road for the delivery of raw materials and finished goods from the industries in Nnewi.
He equally stated that Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi permanent site has no access road, likewise the Nnewi Automotive Industrial park which has been in abandonment.
According to him, “Beside all these, the non-availability of foreign exchange to enable manufactures import essential raw materials and spare parts has forced some manufacturers to suspend operations.”
