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(Edited by Amos Odhe, Yenagoa)
It is true that the electricity sector in Bayelsa state has been plagued with challenges, despite years of reforms, investments of time and resources to the sector, and even the state-owned Gas turbine.
All of these were supposedly aimed at addressing the recurrent power failure issue in the oil-rich state.
Ironically, most Bayelsans are of the opinion that a former governor of the state and candidate of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11 Governorship election in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva invested a lot towards promoting the power sector during his time as governor, which by all standards is a fallacy.
Sadly, the reverse is the case, even as it is on record that the then administration of Chief Timipre Sylva killed the power sector in Bayelsa State.
Suffice to say, when Chief Sylva took over as governor, the state-owned gas turbines were functional both in the administration of Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha and that of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which was sustained to an extent but was then used to siphon monies meant for the development of the state.
Categorically, the Kolo Creek Gas Turbine Facilities was initiated by the first civilian governor of Old Rivers State, Chief Melford Obiene Okilo of who, with a heart of love for his people, procured and installed a total of 40 megawatts of two SK-30 Olympus Rolls Royce Gas Turbines comprising of 20 megawatts each that was still feeding the entire area known today as Bayelsa State, even during Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha’s time as governor of Bayelsa State.
Similarly, Chief Alamieyeseigha, had observed that the 40 megawatts was not enough to serve the people of Bayelsa State and as such engaged Codel Ltd to procure and install an extra 60 megawatts Russian Salut Gas Turbine facilities, comprising of three 20 megawatts gas turbine each, and sent some Bayelsans to Russia to acquire knowledge on how to manage the plant. But unfortunately, he was removed from office.
Luckily, because the administration of Chief Alamieyeseigha made part payment to the company, the contractor made available these three gas turbines from Russia and the work was going on at Etelebou in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
Succintly, when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan took over from Chief Alamieyeseigha, work was still on going and Orobo Michael was contracted to supply RB-211 Rolls Royce 31 megawatts Gas Turbine at the same Kolo Creek. The contract was awarded before he was elected as vice president of the Federation.
Again, when Chief Timipre Sylva took over as the third executive governor of Bayelsa State, he took away one of the SK-30 Olympus Rolls Royce Gas Turbine from Kolo Creek and replaced it with one of the Russian Salut Gas Turbine from Etelebou.
Though part payment was given to the contractor with the promise to make complete payment if only the contractor can bring one of the Russian Salut Gas Turbine to Kolo Creek so as to present a good face before former President Umaru Musa Yar’dua for commissioning.
It is on record that Chief Sylva ensured nothing was done to install the gas turbines, as even now, it lies in waste, destroyed due to environmental factors.
Categorically, the question every well-meaning Bayelsans ought to ask is that should such equipment which incurred billions of taxpayers’ monies be made to lie in ruin when the people languish in poor electricity supply?
Certainly, if there is one that needs to be lambasted, it should be the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who despite managing the Ministry of State for Petroleum Resources for four years could not utilize gas to provide electricity for Bayelsans and Nigerians at large.
Undoubtedly, the former governor allowed the state’s gas turbine to collapse during his administration and then brought the state under the national grid.
Sadly, the three 20 megawatts capacity turbine Chief Sylva claimed to have acquired, was purchased by Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, who has already paid about sixty percent of the total amount to the Russian company that built it, hence paying the remaining 40 percent.
Be that as it may, records indicate that Chief Sylva refused to follow the blueprint Chief Alamieyeseigha had in installing those three turbines in Etelebu and instead spent more money to remove one of the old turbines installed by Chief Melford Okilo.
Ordinarily, one would have expected him to complete the process of installing the 31 megawatts turbine that was already in the station purchased by Dr. Jonathan waiting to be installed.
Holistically, acquiring a gas turbine has a process which is conception, design, building and installation and this process takes 22 to 36months to complete.
For installation that takes just 14 days or maximum of six months to complete, the Sylva administration spent five years in office still trying to install Salut, the Russian turbine
The administration went further to misinform the then Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’aduwa to commission a turbine which was not near thirty percent completion to the surprise of the Russians.
This brought shame to not only the state, but the country as well even as the engineers were supposed to be trained on how to manage the operations and maintenance of the turbine in Moscow for a minimum of 6 months, but this was not the case.
Although, the gas turbine was managed by the Bayelsa State Electricity Board, which was autonomous and being autonomous had proper funding that supports the smooth running of the power station due to the fact that running a gas turbine needs lots of funding because it is an aircraft engine and its parts and consumables are expensive, but the Sylva administration which claimed to have sustained power in state went to the State Assembly to repeal the bill that made the gas turbine autonomous and made it a power station in the Ministry of Energy.
This brought about the gradual and eventual collapse of the gas turbine, because as a station, it was not receiving enough funds to run.
Not only that, it was the Sylva administration that handed over the distribution network by Bayelsa government to the then Electricity Distribution Company, Power Holding Company of Nigeria now Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company where inexperienced staffers of the company having had access to the state’s distribution network contributed to the woes being suffered today in the state.
Thereafter, the project remained abandoned till the Prosperity Administration of Governor Douye Diri took the bull by the horns and invited interested investor to come and collaborate with the Bayelsa State Government to give quality power supply to the people.
Steps are being taken to ensure the investor commences work immediately after an Environmental Impact Assessment Exercise is completed.
It will be recall that, with the coming on board of private sector, the power sector, under the leadership of Senator Douye Diri, has equally mapped out policies and programmes to leverage on the abundant gas and water resources in partnership with foreign and local investors in conventional as well as renewable energy programmes to upgrade electricity supply, boost commerce, create employment and raise the state’s internal revenue profile.
This is even so as more electricity projects are being mooted while ongoing ones are nearing completion. With the listing of power in the concurrent list of jurisdiction, by the Federal Government.
The most important question Bayelsans and all supporters of Chief Timipre Sylva should ask where is the SK-30 Olympus Rolls Royce Gas Turbines, bought by Chief Melford Okilo, he allegedly sold, and the whereabouts of the gas turbine he removed from Kolo Creek to take to the United Kingdom for refurbishment and if he procured any gas turbine in Bayelsa State, he should state the name of the contractor, the brand and also the location of the gas turbine.
Hon. Tonyon is the state Commissioner for Power
