From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa state made significant progress towards guaranteeing steady power supply in the state with the signing of the Electricity Bill into law.
This development provides relief for many Bayelsans that have been at the receiving end of incessant power supply in the state.
Aside communities which are being serviced by gas turbine operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company, residents of Yenagoa, the state capital spent the Christmas holidays in darkness
Governor Douye Diri while assenting to the bill directed the Managing Director of the state electricity board, Olice Kemenanabo to ensure that the state sets its electricity outfit not only to to ensure that the state sets up its electricity outfit to not only generate and distribute but also commercialize power.
He said with the liberalization of electricity by the federal government, the state now has the authority to generate, distribute and commercialize electricity even to neighboring states.
The governor described the signing into law of the electricity bill as historic, noting that hitherto electricity generation, distribution and commercialization was on the Exclusive List of the federal government.
He also directed Kemenanabo to issue licences to private investors interested in the sector as Bayelsa was endowed with gas, which is the primary resource.
“We have gas in abundance and we have no excuse not to have 24 hours electricity in Bayelsa State now that l have assented to this bill,” he said.