By Praise Chinecherem
An industrialist, Mr. Pius Onyinyechukwu Onyeagusi has raised the alarm over protracted power supply in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Onyeagusi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Excel Table Water Company said the barely one year power outage has destroyed all he laboured so hard to set up in the industrial city.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the visibly devastated man regretted that the ugly development has led to mass exodus of indigenes, residents and other industrialists.
He said he was compelled to close up the factory against his wish following the power outage challenge.
He said “I decided to set up the table water business in Ukpor my home town to provide employment opportunities for the teeming youths in my area but this aim has become defeated due to the challenges of constant shortage of power supply.
“As I am talking to you, I have to close up the factory because of this challenge of power outage. Although it is not my wish to do so because it gives me joy to see many families and youths benefitting from my ventures.
“There has not been power supply to Ukpor in a six month stretch. Running industrial machines on diesel is counter productive to say the least, coupled with very high cost of raw materials and other factors of production.
“Every day I spend more than N25,000 to buy diesel and at the end I don’t make a profit of N5000 in a day. I incure a loss of N400,000 monthly. This wouldn’t have been so if there is power supply.
“I have been trying to bear it because of the families that depend on us for their survival but I can no longer continue to operate at a loss.
“I have closed up my factory twice but each time I did, my wife would plead and remind me of families that eat from it and youths that gain employment from it, I will reopen on compassionate ground.
“I don’t think I will open the factory again this third time. It’s not reasonable to continue to inject money into a business and contine to operate at a loss.
“Neighbouring towns like Ebenator, Amichi, Ozubulu, Oraifite and others have electricity supply but it’s a different story in Ukpor which is Headquarters of Nnewi South LGA.
“Many industrialists are relocating their factories out of Ukpor, the same thing is applicable to indigenes, residents and even artisans who are exiting to other communities that can boast of power supply.
While revealing several efforts he had made to solve the lingering problem, Onyeagusi called on relevant stakeholders to intervene to ensure the town, which incidentally is the Headquarters of Nnewi South LGA was not turned to ghost town.
“I have done everything humanly possible to ensure that electricity is restored in Ukpor but I always run into a brick wall because it’s like I am the lone voice crying in the wilderness.
“I have engaged with the officials of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and they told me point blank that it is difficult to supply electricity to Ukpor because of few industries in the town,” he noted.
The embittered industrialist also berated member of the Anambra State House of Assembly representing Ukpor for inability to bring the issue of power outage in his constituency to the front burner.
While praising the State and Federal Governments for curbing insecurity in the town, the industrialist appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to remember Ukpor in his prosperous and habitable Anambra initiative.
“I also appeal to Ukpor Stakeholders, President General of Ukpor Implement Union(UIU) Sir Ignatius Nwawulu and his executive council to sit up and get to the root of the matter before Ukpor the Headquarters of Nnewi South LGA is reduced to a ghost town,” he added.
