Ndokwa Youths Protest Decades Of Power Outage, Block Major Roads In Kwale

THOUSANDS of indigenes and residents of Ndokwa Nation, on Monday morning, June 16, trooped to major roads in Kwale, headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Council of Delta State to protest years of power outage in most parts of Ndokwa West, Ndokwa East and Ukwani Local Councils, grounding vehicular movement and commercial activities in the town and environs.
The protesters, who expressed frustration over the lack of electricity in Ndokwa land for over two decades, demanded that the Okpai Power Plant Step-Down facility be fixed to supply light to Ndokwa communities, lamenting that despite Okpai gas reserves and power installations in the area contributing to the national grid, Ndokwa nation remains in darkness for so long.
The protesters, mainly youths, set up canopies at Ogume Junction, a strategic location along the Asaba-Kwale-Ozoro highway, effectively disrupting traffic flow between Asaba to Kwale, and Kwale to Ozoro, with vehicles headed in either direction forced to a halt, leaving long queues of stranded passengers for a better part of the day.
A similar scenario played out at the Technical College Junction in Kwale, where protesters also set up on the road, blocking vehiclar movement along the Asaba-Ughelli Road.
There was heavy military and Police presence to forestall breakdown of law and order, but there were no immediate reports of violence or clashes between the protesters and security agents.
In the major towns and communities, businesses activities were at a standstill. The protesters, bearing placards with various inscriptions, such as carried placards with inscriptions, such as ‘Light Up Ndokwa Nation,’ ‘No Light, No Peace,’ and ‘We are tired of darkness,’ expressed marginalisation and neglect despite hosting such a vital energy infrastructure.
Residents appealled to the Delta State Government and the Federal Ministry of Power to intervene and address the demands of the protesting youths before the situation gets out of control.
To forestall the protest, following rising tension over power outage in most communities in Ndokwa Nation, some for as long as 20 years, Chairman of Ukwuani Local Government, Possible Ajede, assured that the communities would soon be reconnected to the national grid.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, June 11, at Government House, Asaba, after a closed-door security meeting, Ajede disclosed that over 80 per cent of the materials required for reconnection had been released to contractors, who have been given a two-week deadline to complete the project.
While expressing appreciation to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for responding swiftly to the concerns of Ndokwa Nation, Ajede government’s commitment to restoring power supply and improving lives.
He also hinted at future energy initiatives, including the potential revival of gas turbines in areas rich in gas deposits, adding: “It’s not just about reconnecting to the grid; we are exploring options to reactivate gas turbines in gas-rich areas.”
Ajede, in company with his Ndokwa West and Ndokwa East counterparts, Chiefs Godday Obi Nzete and Vincent Osilonya, respectively, clarified that not all areas were without electricity, as communities, such as Obiaruku and Umutu, currently have supply, while places, such as Umusadege, remained disconnected, but would soon be reconnected.