The governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has confirmed that the previous administration made no financial investment in the recently commissioned 188MW geometric power plant project in the State.
In a press statement on Tuesday at the Government House, Umuahia, the governor spoke through the Minister of Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Okey Kanu.
Kanu clarified that despite arguments from some quarters suggesting the previous administration’s involvement in the project, no concrete evidence of financial commitment was found during the transition to the current administration.
“The Geometric Power Plant is a private sector-led investment company, and speaking of non-existent investments is baseless,” Kanu asserted.
Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, emphasized the government’s adherence to proper procedures and standards. Ekeoma highlighted the absence of documentation proving the previous government’s financial commitment to the project.
Acknowledging claims from the former government’s spokesperson regarding a supposed agreement, Ekeoma stressed the necessity of tangible evidence to substantiate such assertions.
“We welcome any substantial findings indicating the previous administration’s contributions. However, claims hold no weight without documented proof,” Ekeoma asserted.
In a recent report, Nairemetrics underscored the significance of the 188MW Geometric Power Plant in Aba, Abia State, within the Southeast’s energy sector. The completion of the project’s first phase dates back to 2013, with subsequent resolution of regulatory and legal challenges under the Buhari administration in 2022.
The Aba Electricity Ringfenced area handover to Geometric by the Bureau of Public Enterprises in 2022 paved the way for the plant’s operation, initially planned for September 2023, with one of its four General Electric brand turbines.
